Simple
by kinoko182
Summary: Seventeen year old Clarise Dawson's world is turned upside down when she is separated from her loved ones and forced to leave her home. Now in a new setting, she finds herself working for the prestigious Rainsworth Family. Although she is reluctant at first, she begins to slowly adjust to her new home. For now, everything seems at peace, but for how long? OC Fic.
1. Preface: Entry

{Summary}: 17-year old Clarise Dawson's world is turned upside down when she is separated from her loved ones and forced to leave home. Now in a new setting, she finds herself working for the prestigious Rainsworth family. What surprises await her when she meets Oz and Co?

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~ {Simple} ~

By:

{Kinoko:P}

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**{A/N}:** **this is my first chapter well preface. The genres are technically humor, action, friendship, adventure and drama but the thing wouldn't let me add more than two so yea but oh well:P. Please review and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OR IT'S CHARACTERS**

**{I thank Taylor, Hiei, Hector, and Katie for being my Betas!}**

**I LOVE YOU!**

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_~ {Preface: Entry} ~_

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_November 16__th_, _1877_

_Love__ is the __strang__est__ thing on earth—_

_Ha, I know what you must be thinking; such an erratic thing to say. But did you honestly expect me to say something dreary? Originally, the subject had come up during a conversation that I had overheard. And because it was such an interesting topic (besides the fact that I had nothing else to write), I wanted to jot down my opinion on it. So to be honest, I had always thought that '**love**' was an equivalent to '**idiocy**'. Though harsh as it may sound, it has never really made sense to me. The way people would behave in public and such; it looked ridiculous. Looking at it from a comical angle, one would even say it was like an overused joke topped with a dry punch line at the end. Of course, they make it look so carefree and lively yet…the reality was really 'sugar-coated'. Going further down the rabbit hole, all it really was was nonsensical suffrage. You would have to endure certain amounts of grief before you'd get to a point where you would feel at least comfortable in the relationship. Sort of a crooked deal wouldn't you say?_

_But yet, who honestly knows. For some I know it was difficult and for others, not so much. Or perhaps it just another one of those things that I will never fully understand…oh well, I guess it shouldn't really matter to me. And perhaps…if I should dare to go further…_

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"_Hmph_…_love_, indeed…such a funny little word…_"_


	2. Fire

**{A/N}:** **Ok that was my very first preface ever, I was so nervous when I published it…sigh…oh well it's done now. Oh, and sorry for the on and off thing I had with the title and the story. It seems that I don't check enough for mistakes so I end up changing it. I'll try my best not to do that as much from now on. I had to do a lot of brain storming for this chapter so I hope you like it! Please review and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OR IT'S CHARACTERS**

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_~ {Fire} ~_

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_What's happening_..._? I can't move…I can't breathe…what's going on…?_

Wearily I opened my eyes, ignoring the sharp pain that was throbbing from above my forehead; though I immediately regretted doing so. The heat from the fire burned my eyes and when I gasped, the smoke grabbed hold of my throat; strangling me. I coughed violently as the smoke slowly began to leave my lungs. This time I quickly faced away from the fumes, covering my mouth. Carefully, I lifted my head towards the ceiling to try and see what was going on. As I looked up, all I could see was red. The roof of the stables was collapsing due to the weight of the fire, causing all sorts of debris to come down. All around me the air was in flames; everything was burning and the smoke was suffocating.

Glancing down at my side, I found a torn piece of cloth on the floor beside me. I quickly put it over my mouth; my head pounding harder with each second that went by. Lying back down on the floor, I painfully turned to the right, peeking into the stall next to me. To my relief, it was empty. _Thank God…at least Colette got away. I wonder if Hein-? _

I was then interrupted by the cracking of gunshots. The frantic neighing of horses and the battle cries from Apaches ripped loudly through the air. Twisting my body towards the noise, I hoisted myself up onto my elbows. Turning my gaze to the outside of the stables, my eyes widened in horror as I watched a group of Apache warriors rampage on what was left of the servant's quarters. Both men and women, running for their lives screamed for mercy. I tried to shut them out as one by one, blood-sickening screams escaped from their throats. Then, as quickly as it happened, it grew quiet. My arms suddenly gave out, causing me fall back onto the ground.

As I lay there, I began to fear for my own life. Staring at the reality, I was too weak to move. Even if I tried to get up I knew that I would only end up falling back down. And if I were to call for help, theywould surely hear me. As the way things were; I was running out of options. There was no way I would be able to escape without being seen. Just how was I going to make it out of this? And just like that…it dawned on me; I _wasn't_ going to make it out_. _I was going to die. And there was nothing I could do about it. Panic began to overcome me. _No, I don't want to die! Not yet…not like this!_ I pleaded, beating the ground with my fists. Suddenly, a man ran pass the stables, panting and yelling recklessly ahead of him.

_**"WERE UNDER ATTACK! PLEASE SEND FOR HELP, SOUND THE ALAR—!" **_the blood spurted out as a dagger vigorously pierced through the man's throat. His lifeless body collapsed not too far from where I was. An Apache warrior rode to where the man fell and let out a piercing victory cry; it had to be one of the most horrific things I had ever heard in my entire life.

A couple of more cries came from his comrades behind him. I watched in dread as he jumped off his horse and landed beside the dead man's body. He knelt down and grabbed the man's hair. Pulling the knife out of the man's gullet, he wiped it along his pant leg; a small pool of blood began to form around him. In his language he muttered something to himself, lifted the body up on its knees and began to hack through its head.

Quickly I looked away, fighting the urge to vomit. Unintentionally however I moved to my left, not knowing that a piece of burning wood was right beside me. The pain instantly erupted from my side. I wanted to scream out in agony yet I held my tongue. I knew that if I made so much as a sound the man would surely hear me, come here and kill me. Instead, I lay still, praying that he wouldn't find me. However, the smoke once again had gotten in my lungs. Immediately I reached for the cloth but it was already too late; a set of coughs had escaped from my mouth. I tensed in sheer horror as he man instantly looked toward the direction of the stables; the blood from his victim splattered all over his face. I couldn't close my eyes, terrified of what was going to happen next.

The savage cautiously got up from the ground, leaving the bloodied remains with half of the scalp lopping off to the side. He suspiciously walked over to the stables and peered inside. He guardedly looked around, shifting his eyes from side to side. I prayed that he would somehow miss me and be on his way, unfortunately however, he spotted me. I watched him look up in surprise and signal one of his comrades to come with him. Although I couldn't show it, I was completely and utterly petrified. Desperate, I relaxed my muscles and pretended to be dead. They walked in, careful not to tread upon any of the burning debris that was on the floor. Already closing in on me, I fully closed my eyes.

I heard them speak in their language. So close could I smell the dried blood on their hands as they spoke_…_and when they grabbed my hair. The wound from my forehead screamed. _This is it;_ _I'm going to die right here. _I felt one of them lift me to where I was practically sitting up. I could feel the coolness of the blade near the edge of my head, slightly penetrating the skin. He was about to push the knife deeper in until his comrade yelled out in surprise. The savage was talking to him about something, whatever it was; it made him stop what he was doing. He lowered me down a little and let my head wilt, still having the knife close to it. His friend then said something else; I was beginning to feel anxious. I suddenly felt my hair being pulled again. Ignoring my instincts, I slightly opened my eyes. Seeing the blade so close to me was too terrifying for words. The hand that held it then raised it in the air, and came straight down. I shut my eyes_,_ waiting for it. But instead, I felt it cut swiftly through my hair; it was as if I was held by a rope. I then felt myself drop, crumpling onto the ground. One of the savage's muttered something under his breath as I heard them walk away.

I couldn't believe it_…_they didn't kill me! I didn't know how to react; I was too dumbfounded to even move. But I was so relieved. Thinking that maybe this was my chance to escape, I tried to force myself up. It was only then that I remembered that I was too weak, too overwhelmed by the smoke and heat to find the strength to get out. I could only hear the sound of the fire spreading around me. I then remembered the promise I had made to Abigail before she left. Blackness was already closing in on me as I smiled regretfully beneath my arms. _What…am I even thinking? Even if I managed to escape…it's not like I deserve to-_

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**{A/N}: O.m.g…that was in total 4 pages long! I was going to make it longer but I got lazy so yea:P Sorry if it was a little iffy, this is my first time writing a full length story. I'm also sorry that I didn't put any of the PH characters in this chapter but I promise that you will see them around the end of the 3rd chapter and that's a promise! I'd like to thank my betas, Hiei and Hector (both of them are my cousins…I love them) they have been a great help to me. Oh! And I also like to thank lo lo lol (sorry if I spelled your name wrong ^^) for reviewing. I appreciate any reviews from anyone (except for those who don't like the story and criticize it, I don't mind constructive criticism but I DO mind reviews like "that sucked" or whatever. Like I said, if you DON'T like it…then DON'T read it!) That's all I'm going to say on this. Other than that, if you _did_ like the chapter, then please review to your hearts content! I don't know when I going to make a second chapter but it will be soon! I will also explain more about Colette, Hein, and Abigail in the next chapter. Until then, Kinoko:P out!}**


	3. Nightmare

**{A/N}:** **Ok guys, here is the second chapter. I absolutely **_**loved **_**ya'lls reviews for the previous ones! Idky but it took me a lot to think about this particular chapter. I'm sorry if it's little off, I would greatly appreciate ANY constructive criticism^^. Now on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

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"_Silly little girl, I knew I would find you snoozing in here…,"_

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_~ {Nightmare} ~_

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When I opened my eyes, I wasn't sure of what had happened. I didn't know of where I was…or if I was even alive. When I looked up above me; all I could see was black. Pitch black.

Slightly alarmed, I lifted myself up and placed my hand to my face. My suspicions quickly faded away as I saw it. Though it was strange; I looked around my surroundings and finally stood up. Glancing down at myself I could see that everything was there; my clothes, my shoes, myself_…_but what I couldn't understand was the fact that it was just that. Just _me…_

Realizing that I was no longer inside of the stables, I staggered back just a few inches from where I had previously sat. Everything just felt so confusing. _This doesn't feel right; _I thought. _What's going on?_I fell back down on what I assumed was the floor. It didn't make sense; I didn't know whether to think if I was in danger. But then again, I was probably already dead; so why should it matter? I looked around once more.

_ But it's strange…I always thought that death would be a lot more peaceful than this; but it seems that it's the exact opposite. I feel…so alone. _I tried to shut out the feeling. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and then reopened them. To my dismay however, nothing changed. The blackness was still encompassing me from everywhere, leaving nothing but myself to be existent within its midst. Glancing down at my side, it was all the same. I held my knees close to my chest, trying to hold back fear in an effort to calm myself.

…_Where am I?_ was all I could ask myself.

I was starting to lose all sense of security. Lying back down on the floor, I decided to close my eyes and drift off to sleep; hoping, praying that this would all just go away. I waited what seemed like an eternity_…_

Every once in a while I would wake up; trying to see if anything had changed in the past few moments. But every time, it would be the same…nothing…nothing but the darkness that had me surrounded. I closed my eyes for the hundredth time, now not even expecting anything to change. I was starting to fall back asleep when I heard what seemed like to be a voice sound off in the distance. Alarmed, I got up; twisting my head towards the voice. I listened cautiously, careful as to not make any movement. _It sounds like a woman…singing…?_

Indeed, although soft in volume, the voice was still loud enough to faintly echo through the darkness. I began to listen closely to the song the woman was singing. The tune sounded strangely familiar to me. Without even realizing it, I found myself standing up, and before I could even think of doing anything else, I began to walk towards the voice. The closer I walked, the louder the voice had become, I started to quicken my pace into a run. I ran faster and faster; afraid that I would lose track of the voice if I didn't hurry. It sounded so beautiful, so gentle, and so_…_familiar. I had to find out who was the one singing that song. Still running, I began to see a small light at the end of the path. _Almost there! _I exclaimed. Louder and louder, closer and closer, I could hear the song reaching its end. Now, right in front of me I could already see the light clearly. I reached out_._ And just like that_…_it was gone.

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"_It seems she has awakened,"_

"_We must notify the others,"_

"_And tell them what? Nothing's happen right, let's just wait a bit more,"_

"_But for how long? We've waited long enough; it's time to make our move!"_

"_Patience dear boy, patience; we will have our time, be we must keep our peace,"_

"_But I yearn for her **blood** dammit! For nearly a hundred years I have waited and have grown restless! Tell me, what good is it to watch her but not **kill** her?"_

"_Xavier, please!"_

"_Silence; you will have your time, we all will but for now we wait and until then, we stay put,"_

"…"

"…_for now?"_

"_For now…,"_

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I found myself awake, listening to the sound of birds chirping merrily outside the windowsill. Looking around I didn't feel the need to get up from where I was. Now realizing that it was all a dream, I relaxed, not wanting to go back to sleep again. Casually I glanced over to my left; a pitcher of water and a cooling cloth were laid onside the bedpost beside me. I reached out to touch it; having my fingers brush smoothly up against the glass pitcher felt so good. I smiled softly as I pulled back and stared at the ceiling. _I'm still alive._

Noticing now that I could move without feeling pain in my lower body, I slowly began to lift myself up. However, as I was doing so, a dull pain came up from the top of my head. Instinctively, I reached to sooth it. Not to my surprise it was already bandaged. I sighed exhaustfully and looked around the room.

It was plain and simple, just like any other room I would see in a cabin. Over in the corner at the end, I spotting some clothing piled neatly in a chair. I was about to lie back down when I realized something felt missing. My hand instinctively reached over to my chest only to find that my suspicion was right. My eyes widened in horror. _'My locket…it's gone!' _I , I got up and began to search for it.

From lifting the covers off of the bed to looking in the cupboard beside it, I began to tear the place apart. I had to find that locket; I couldn't go a day in my _life_ if I did not have it with me. That was when I heard the door unlatch behind me. And just like that, I was paralyzed, unable to move even the slightest inch. I felt so stupid; I was so caught up with finding my locket that I had forgotten about everything else. Unable to move the rest of my body, I turned my head nervously to face whoever was coming. As soon as the door opened, I braced myself. Behind the door, a young man slowly walked in and jumped when he saw me. His eyes were as wide as saucers. I couldn't say that mine weren't the same. He slowly came back to his senses and looked at me in distress.

"_C-Clarise?_" he stammered surprisingly. I couldn't help but almost do the same.

"_Aaron…?_" I replied, still dazed. My head already starting to spin_._

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**{A/N}: WOW…another 4 pages! I just wanted to get finished with this chapter as fast as I could so that I could at least give you this as a Christmas present lol ha ha j/k no well anyways, like I said before it took me a lot to think about this particular chapter so if you see something that could be corrected or fixed just let me know CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS ONLY ALLOWED NOT MEAN OR STUPID COMMENTS! OH! And I'm sorry if I didn't explain any of the previous characters from the last chapter, I am sooooo sorry for that! I actually meant to put them in here but well…I got lazy…again…IM SORRY! Please don't be mad at me T-T… NO! But im a hundred percent sure that the next chapter it will have them! Man, I can't stop apologizing (srry but I'm just one of those people who has issues -_-) but if you have any questions at all about anything I've written, I would be happy to answer them. I would also like to address my betas/editors/cousins! Without them, this wouldn't be a chapter in the first place. And I also like to thank the ppl that reviewed, Y'ALL ARE AWESOME! I HOPE YOU HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! P.S please review! Until next year, Kinoko:P out!**


	4. Change of Pace

**{A/N}: YAY! We made it to the 3rd chapter! In this chapter, everything that happened in chapter 1 will be explained here! Ooh, me so happy I managed to finally get here! I feel so proud of myself!**

**I'd like to thank AutumnFeather, Sammi :) and gilbert for reviewing! (Although Sammi's was kinda weird it's still ok!) And also to all the readers that are reading, I would like to make a very important announcement, I know that you probably haven't read the story all that much to actually post a solid opinion but it mostly relates to the P.O.V s but yea, that will most likely be it:). {Suddenly gets hit by an unknown object. Emily then pops out of nowhere unexpectedly}**

**{Emily}:**_**PLEASE REVIEW AND ENJOY~!**_

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OR IT'S CHARACTERS**** (although I really wish I did -_-…)**

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_~ {Change of Pace} ~_

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At first, I didn't know what to do, what to say, or what to even think. All I knew was at that very moment, he was standing right in front of me, just as surprised as I was.

"_Clarise…?_" I asked cautiously. The room was starting to spin just as fast as my head was going. I staggered back a few steps; my vision going in all sorts of directions. I managed to look up at him for a few seconds before collapsing.

_ Aaron…_ I thought I was going to lose consciousness, but just before I could hit the floor, strong arms had caught me. I heard him sigh in relief.

"_Whoa, whoa hey I gotcha, I gotcha,_" he murmured worriedly. His dark brown eyes were focused on me, though embarrassed, I quickly looked away. He then gathered me in his arms and walked over to the bed. Once he set me down, he looked around the room; he chuckled meekly to himself.

"_Heh_, leave it to you to trash up a room like this, what the hell were you doin'?" he asked teasingly, though I didn't answer. I was too caught up in my own thoughts to even remotely pay attention at the situation at hand. "Clarise?" he called anxiously. He put his hands over my shoulders and slightly shook them.

"Aaron, what, what happened I…," I prattled. My mind was at an utter blank when I suddenly came to my senses. Grabbing onto his shirt fearfully, I gaped at him with wild eyes.

"_Aaron! Colette, Hein; EVERYONE! _Wha-what happened, a-a-are they ok _uh-_!" I blurted exasperatedly. There were so many questions that were rushing through my head yet my mouth only seemed to call out a few. Aaron stared at me nervously and then let out a hearty laugh as he grabbed onto my hands. "Whoa, whoa there _haha_, there's no need to worry about those two they're fine," he patted me reassuringly. I continued to glare at him worriedly until he clarified the details.

"Trust me they're fine, as a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure Hein should be around 'ere somewhere," he continued to explain as he twisted his head to look behind him. Suddenly, a white ball of fur ran passed Aaron and began to scuttle its way up onto the bed. My hands instinctively reached for it as it made its way towards me. My eyes watered with joy.

"_HEIN!_ _Oh, thank goodness you're okay!_" I exclaimed happily. The little dog barked with delight as he climbed on top of my lap, licking every square inch of my face. I hugged him as tight as I could, grateful that he was safe. I then slowly glanced back at Aaron. "And Colette…?" Aaron smirked gladly as he nodded towards the window behind us. "She's right outside," Gathering Hein in my arms; I walked over to the windowsill. Down below in the front yard, she was calmly grazing alongside a wooden fence. I sighed, full of relief. _Thank God…_

"She really is a tough horse," Aaron began to say, rubbing the back of his head as he began to walk towards me.

"It was actually by chance that I found her…," he then paused. I turned to look at him, waiting for him to finish. "To think that if I didn't…I don't think I would've been able to get to you in time…," he breathed somberly. I felt Hein begin to get restless and jump out of my hold.

"Aaron," I whispered softly. It seemed as if the room had come to a complete standstill. I lowered my head due to the heaviness of the atmosphere. Clutching my arms, I turned around to face the window once more. _That's right…that night… _The raid…for some reason it all seemed vague to me. It all felt like a horrible nightmare that I had just woken up from. As I stared at the field, everything seemed to look normal; it wasn't until then that I finally realized that we were no longer at the manor nor its outer grounds. We were in some other place. My brows pulled together in anxiety.

"Aaron?" I asked cautiously. Facing me, his brows perked in response. Still staring out the window, I hesitantly finished my question.

"What…happened to the estate?" I could hear Aaron shift uneasily behind me.

"Well…," he uttered uncomfortably.

"_My, my_, _interrogating this early?" _teased a familiar voice from behind the doorframe. Hein barked happily as he stood up from his spot on the ground. Both Aaron and I whirled our heads to see who it was. An old man in a butler's uniform had entered the room. His weary frown gradually turned into a smile as he focused his gaze on me. "It's good to see you both alive and well, _Miss Clarise_," he added reprieved. My eyes widened with surprise.

"_Nigel_?" I whispered, unsure. He bowed shrewdly at his name.

"_NIGEL!_" I exclaimed joyfully. I ran over to where he was and embraced him by the neck. He laughed merrily as he hugged me back. "_Ha_, my my, it certainly brings me joy to see that you've gotten your strength back as well Miss Clarise~,"

"Nigel, when did you get back? I thought that you were going to stay in England for another month!"

"Well, I wanted to surprise you all just in time for the town revelry but…," he stopped at the last bit of his sentence. He then reluctantly glanced over at Aaron; who didn't bother to return the gesture. "…It seemed that, that wasn't going to take place as well as I expected," he finished sadly. I lifted my head off his shoulder and glanced up at him. His eyes reflected the same melancholy that I felt. He then sighed and gently grabbed my arms, putting them down in front of me.

"Clarise my dear, I know that this may seem a bit too sudden but, there is something that…we must ask you," he asked hesitantly. I suddenly felt a ball form inside of my throat, though I nodded my head reluctantly, waiting for his question. Nigel looked one last time at Aaron before looking back at me. This time, Aaron turned to listen to our conversation.

"Clarise…do you remember anything that happened on the day of the raid?" he asked firmly. It was as if someone has flipped a switch. My mind suddenly became clearer; shedding light on all the hazy spots in my memory. "Anything at all?" he asked again this time anxiously; grabbing my shoulders tightly. Although I knew that he was waiting for me to answer, I didn't respond. Lowering my head, I stepped back and turned away from them.

"Clarise…?"

"Maybe that wasn't such a good idea…," said Aaron. I began to walk closer to the window sill, still not responding. I could feel everyone in the room staring at me, worried. Hein whimpered fretfully as he pawed at my leg. "_Clarise_?" Nigel continued. Slowly, I glanced at him and then looked back down.

"My dear, I am terribly sorry…I just thought that after three weeks we—,"

"_Three weeks!?_" I gawked at him in disbelief.

"Well you should've thought of that before you started askin' questions. I mean she just woke up for cryin' out loud. It's too soon to be askin' questions," grumbled Aaron irately.

"My dear please forgive me…I just…," he couldn't even finish his sentence.

"Look Clarise, you don't have to do anythin' you don't want to for right now. If you want...we could just leave—,"

"_No!_" I exclaimed frightfully. Both Aaron and Nigel stared at me. I reluctantly shook my head, tears stinging the edge of my eyes.

"_No, please, don't leave me…I don't want to be alone…_," I whimpered. Aaron and Nigel then looked at each other with concern and walked closer to me. Nigel came first and embraced me. He was saying something to me but for some reason I couldn't hear him. He then let go of me and patted my head gently.

"Well, I presume my questions will have to wait for the time being. For now, let us just settle down and take our time to sort things out," he said wearily. I smiled meekly, hoping that it would help lighten the mood.

"_Tch, settle down, right._ How can we possibly _settle down_ at a time like this? In case you've forgotten, were in the middle of a crisis here!" exclaimed Aaron angrily. Nigel's brows pulled together irritably as he closed his eyes and sighed heavily, all while trying to remain calm in the process.

"Aaron please, this isn't the time for arguments…," he frowned. Aaron sucked his teeth and let out a sigh of defeat. I wanted to say something, but I quickly disregarded it and looked away from them. '_What the hell am I doing? Say something!' _I thought frustrated. I clenched my hands into tight fists.

"Nigel? About…what you asked," I started out. Nigel then looked back at me with concern, as did Aaron; awaiting the next part of the sentence. I closed my eyes and bit my lip in anxiety; trying to block out every horrifying image creeping into my head.

"I'm sorry but…I honestly don't remember anything. I would've said something before except, I couldn't find the courage until now. But…do _you_ know something? Do you know if anyone survived?" I choked out. '_What have I done?_'

Nigel looked down onto the floor; his brows had let go of their previous enmity. Aaron too looked down; unable to continue listening he slowly began to walk out the door. But then, he grabbed onto the side of the doorframe and stood there; still having his head lowered. My eyes widened in both fear and regret as I continued to stare at him. He then heaved a heavy sigh as he glanced out into the hallway. I could feel my heart sinking with every second that I waited.

"Well…that's the thing," he whispered. "We don't know if…anyone else survived…," he finished. I solemnly glanced back down. "Oh…," I answered quietly. Although it was cruel to say, I was rather relieved to hear that. My mouth twitched into a small smile but then went back to a frown. '_What I'm thinking? How could I even think that? How could I possibly—?'_

I didn't even notice that Hein had begun to lick my hand. I quickly snapped out of my thoughts and looked down at him. I slowly reached for him and cradled him in my arms once more. Nigel sighed as he walked closer to the window.

"Which is why we wanted to ask you Clarise," said Nigel. "We had hoped that _you _might've known what had happened to the others. Sensing that out of the both of us, you were the only one present there at the time," he cleared his throat as he finished. I looked at Hein before answering him.

"I'm so sorry but, I really don't," I slightly cringed as I lied. I couldn't bring myself to tell them anything. '_Even down to the exact time when it all began…,'_ I thought.

"And of Abigail and Nathan?" I then asked. Nigel shook his head tiredly before answering.

"We haven't received any word from the Master or Mistress," He said, sullenly.

"The last thing that we heard about them was that some townsfolk supposedly saw their carriage go up north towards Fort Collins but, that was it. We don't know if they're there now," said Aaron.

"Ah…I see," I nodded my head.

"But, on a lighter note of the situation. I believe this belongs to you my dear," said Nigel as he reached into his coat pocket. He was clutching something bright and silvery. Unclenching his hand he held it out for me to see. It was my locket.

"Oh my God, Nigel! Where did you find this?!" I asked full of relief. I immediately put it on when he handed it to me.

"Well, when I was searching through the debris and ruble from the manor, I happened to spot it glittering off in one of the corners. It seems to me that it was not about to give into the fire and melt like all the other jewelry I found inside," he grinned. As I sat there looking it over, I felt a sudden urge to try and open it. Although I have tried many times before in the past to get it to unlock, I always failed. The miniature rose-shaped locket glimmered triumphantly in the sunlight. And like always, I eventually gave up.

"So…what now?" Aaron asked softly, as if he didn't want anyone to hear him. Nigel then turned to face him.

"Well, I suppose we should make arrangements to stay here for at least another three days," he implied.

"I think we've stayed here long enough, we can't just _decide _live here," scoffed Aaron.

"By the way, where are we anyways?" I asked him.

"Some house outside of Alta…it was abandoned when I got here so I figured it would be a safe hideout until those damn injuns left," he scorned.

"Did they already?" I asked. Aaron confidently nodded his head in response.

"So then let's leave," I said.

"But that's the thing; we have nowhere else to go. Columbia is practically destroyed so we can't stay here. We would have to find a new home, new jobs, start all over again," he said.

"B-but what about…_Nakota and Mato?_" I then asked him. They were the Lakota Sioux Indians that lived in the mountains just outside of town past Imogen and Blackbear Pass. If we needed a place to stay, I knew that their tribe would most certainly welcome us.

"Clarise you know full well we can't ask them. We would be imposin'. Plus, when I went up there to look for Mato…the passes were completely blocked off," he informed me. I was about to object when Nigel spoke out.

"That is another matter I wanted to discuss with you children," said Nigel jadedly. Aaron and I turned our heads to look at him.

"About what?" Aaron pried.

"Well, while I was in England…I was offered a job. The same place where my sister is employed,"

"Employed?" I asked.

"You children might not be familiar with English nobles but in case you have heard talk of them, she is employed by the noble family of Rainsworth. They are one of the most prestigious families in all of Great Britain and they have offered Harold and I a job there so that we could be closer to our sister. She serves as a housekeeper to one of the estates." He said proudly.

"So what's that got to do with us?"

"Well…seeing that you children have nowhere else to go; I thought it would be best if you came back with me, to England." He announced happily. Both Aaron and I looked at each other, dumbfounded.

"England? You mean, where the queen lives? You've got to be kiddin'…we, we can't go there!" exclaimed Aaron bewildered.

"But where will you children go? It's too dangerous to be out on your own. Please; I own a flat in the city where you both can stay while I work over in the estate. Given enough time, you may even find jobs of your own there. Please try and consider it," he pleaded. Aaron shook his head unwillingly.

"But, I mean…what's the point? You're gonna be off workin' while we stay in some house alone somewhere. We don't know anythin' or anyone over there so, why bother? Plus, I ain't too big on city life,"

"My point is that I want to make sure that you both are taken care of. Although I will be working in the estate, that doesn't mean that I won't see you. Also the city life there is not all that horrid. Besides…," he stopped mid-sentence. Grabbing the handkerchief from his front pocket, he then wiped it along his brow, relieving his sweat.

"Realizing that now, _Harold_ is amongst the missing, I have no one else to take with me," he said sorrowfully. '_That's right…his twin brother,' _I remembered, yet I remained still, not saying a word.

"So, will you consider?" he asked hopefully. Aaron turned to look at me and then back at Nigel.

"Well…I still don't know…even if we don't know no one here this place is still home," he stated.

"And you my dear? What do you think?" Nigel then asked me. I shook my head in response. "I agree with Aaron. This place is the only place I've ever known. I don't think I would be able to handle leaving it," I said.

"But my dear, you'll be better off in England. I know it," Nigel probed. I held on to the locket in suspense.

"Regardless, I still can't leave. Especially when…I still—," Nigel then cut me off by putting his hand upon my shoulder. I turned around to look at him.

"My dear…perhaps, you will have a better chance if you came," He then took my locket and held it to where he could see it.

"I always wondered about the style and carving of this locket of yours. It is certainly not American I know for sure…and if my intuition serves me right, there is a strong possibility that you will find the people that gave it to you if you come. And also, regarding the others, once we leave; I will send a letter to Pandora about our situation. With their help and that of the Rainsworth family, we'll have a better chance of knowing if they survived the attack," he assured. I continued to look at him distrustfully.

"Do you really think so?" I asked, almost like a child. Nigel smiled grandly and hugged me tightly.

"I know so…though our chances might seem grim now, I _know_ that they will get better soon," he whispered gently into my ear. I then raised my hands to hug him back. Aaron cleared his throat and nodded his head towards us. "Well, if that's out of the way, should we get goin'?" he asked timidly. Hein barked happily from the side. I smiled warmly at all of them; nodding my head in confidence. Looking out the window once more, I clutched the locket tightly within my hand.

* * *

"_Hmph_, seems like they've made their choice. I guess that means that we should be heading out as well," I announced, looking down upon the small house from above.

"It's going to feel pretty awkward going back to Sablier. I can't imagine how much it's changed since the Baskerville incident. Though I really hope we don't run into them, it'll be a pain." I said, almost regarding it to myself.

"Isn't that right…?" I asked; turning my head towards him. "_Sid?_"

The man blinked his eyes and let out his breath. He grabbed onto his hat and began to turn around.

"You're right; it's going to a _long_ trip back," he breathed sarcastically. I got up to follow him, disappearing into the woods.

* * *

**{A/N} with bandages covering her head): I feel the need to apologize for the chapter being so long and boring. (Bows head all the way down to desk) Trust me people; this wasn't an easy thing to write. I was balling like crazing out of boredom but, I knew that if I didn't add the explanation in, it wouldn't make sense right? And also im sorry for the adding of new characters into this. I know that it was probably confusing having them there but trust me they are needed in the story. Regarding of my question; I will be switching out p.o.v's like for example, from break to Clarise or so and so. But so yea, now that's over with I hope everything is will be ok from there. I'd like to thank Hector for helping me through this. Now on with the PH characters! Next stop, chapter 4! And another thing, I'm terribly sorry for the rude interruption earlier. I promise from now on, it won't happen again. Isn't that right Emily? (Strangling the doll with her left hand)**

**Emily: **_**Arrrg…erg…it hurts…please review and enjoy!**_


	5. Brand New World

**{A/N}:** **Ugh God! Here I am again, presenting to you chapter four! Whoo! Yea, I am sooooo not hyper right now I don't even know why I'm exerting myself for this but whateves:P. Yea so here's the thing, I changed one of the genres to friendship because thinking about it, there is mostly friendship involved and only a few cute moments. But don't worry; there **_**will**_** be romance later on! ;)**

**Oz:** Does this mean that I'll _finally_ make an appearance?

**{A/N}:** **OH GOD, YES! YES!**

**Oz:** _FINALLY!_

**{A/N}:** **maybe…**

**Oz:** **WHAT? BUT YOU JUST SAI—**

**{A/N}:****And that's all the time we have for today! Now on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

**Oz: **damn right you don't…

**{A/N}:** _**Yea, I heard that!**_

* * *

_~ {Brand New World} ~_

* * *

_September 30__th__, 1879 _

_ Well, it's that time of year again. Rather an unpleasant day as always while once again, Sharon wanted to throw a big extravagant party in the honor. But of course, I refused. I honestly have no need for such pointless nonsense. Why on earth would you want to celebrate the day you were born? It only means that you're a year older and a year closer to death…_

_ Speaking of which it's getting closer now, I wonder how it will all be when I'm finally gone. Though I suppose I really shouldn't be thinking of such things. At least not now; not when I still haven't reached any of my goals and if I give up now, everything I done would've been for naught. But listen to me, I'm such a pity; always thinking about the importance of myself rather than others. Oh well, although it's been a rather interesting year, I truly wonder if I'll be able to hold on for a while longer. After all, I _am_ a year closer to death, might as well enjoy it. 'A very happy birthday to me'…indeed…_

* * *

"_Miss?_" I heard a child's voice say. Looking down at my side; a young girl whose clothes were tattered up to her shoulders down, held up a wilted flower in her hand. She smiled timidly as she continued to hold it up.

"Would you like a daisy?" she asked eagerly. I stared at her and then at the flower. It's once green stem had turned into a sickly, olive color and its petals had turned brown around the edges. The girl then looked at the daisy and flinched. Her smile disappeared as she tried to come up with an excuse for its pitiable form.

"_Uh_, I-I know it's not the pretti'est flower but, if you're willing to buy it for just a penny…I'm sure it'll be worth you're while!" she urged nervously, still holding up the flower. "So please, Miss?" I stared at her for a few more seconds before breaking into a smile. I then knelt down to her level and cupped her hand into mine.

"Of course I'll buy it; it's the prettiest daisy I've ever seen. As a matter of fact I'll buy it for _two_ pennies." I smiled lovingly. I reached for my purse and took out two pennies, placing them in the palm of her hand. My smile widened as I saw her face lift with joy. "_Oh wow, thank you Miss_!" she exclaimed happily as she ran off into the crowded streets. Still smiling, I got up and looked after her. But as I watched, the little girl suddenly came up to an elderly woman and showed her earnings to her. The elderly woman then smiled and embraced her tenderly. A twinge of jealously ached in my chest as I looked at the tattered couple. They then walked away hand in hand, losing themselves amidst the crowd. I was so caught in the moment that hadn't noticed Aaron calling out to me from behind.

"_God, Clarise ya' deaf? C'mon! The ole man's been waitin' for over an hour!_" he fumed irritably.

"_Ah_, y-yes right," I then stuttered. After gathering my bearings, we both then ran back to where the town houses were. It was to be two days from the time when we first arrived in the city of Reveil; and just as I had imagined it, everything about it was completely different from back home. The buildings, the people; everything just looked so foreign. Being raised in the hidden valleys of Colorado, I have never wandered outside of our small town let alone the rest of the Americas. We were _definitely_ not in Columbia anymore.

When we got closer to apartment, we saw Nigel standing by the wooden bench just outside the stairs. He stood there looking at his pocket watch impatiently when he finally he spotted us. "Where on earth have you been my dear? The carriage is going to be here any minute and we can't have you disappearing. Do you understand?" he scolded lightly. I nodded my head apologetically as we all then sat down on the bench. Originally, Nigel was to report to the estate as soon as we arrived, however, the Rainsworth head couldn't make it due to personal business and had to re-schedule. We have all since stayed in Nigel's home till the day that we were to be called upon.

"Ok now explain to us again why we have to come along with you?" asked Aaron as he turned to Nigel.

"I thought it would be rather nice if I brought you two along so that could be acquainted with both my sister and my lady. Having described so much about you two, they are curious as to whom you are and would like to see you. Think of it as friendly greeting is all," he explained to him.

"Friendly greetin' huh?" said Aaron suspiciously.

"Oh look! There's our carriage now!" A dark, mahogany-colored carriage came carting its way towards our station. As it halted to a stop, the horseman jumped off the front seat and landed next to the door. Large and brawny, his size nearly overshadowed the three of us. He grinned cheerfully as he walked to us, having his arms out-stretched.

"Well, well if it isn't Nigel Lockwood in the flesh!" the man bellowed vigorously.

"_Ha, ha_ '_at your service'_," joked Nigel. He straightened up as the man came closer, taking him into a locking bear hug. Nigel chuckled gaspingly as he tried to wrap his arms around the huge man. "My, my, it's good to see you Brom! It certainly has been awhile hasn't it?"

"It has _eh?_ I'm sorry that I couldn't see you the last time ye were here but, you know how work is these days. Believe it or not, your luggage is still in the back since the day I went to go retrieve them! Busy I tell ya, "he said, penitently. He then glanced at Aaron and me.

"So Nigel, are those the sibling kids you were talkin' about in your letta'?" he asked curiously.

"Oh why yes! Brom, I would like to introduce them to you. This young man here is _Aaron Dawson_; he was one of the stable boys working over at the same household where I was employed," Aaron tipped the front of his hat to him and nodded slightly. "And this young lady is his sister, _Clarise Dawson_," The man looked down at me and smiled playfully. Rather shy, I looked away; focusing my attention over to the carriage horses.

"She was the Lady's Maid for the young mistress of the house," Nigel finished. I cautiously walked over to the side of one of the horses. At first, it was a bit frightened by my approach but soon relaxed as I gently laid my hand upon its neck.

"So, this one likes the animals _eh?_ In that case, is this lit'le fellow yours?" asked Brom as he took out a ball of white fur from the carriage. "Oh Hein!" Hein barked happily then jumped out of his arms and into mine. "My God I missed you so much, I'd thought I lost you," I muttered. "Just thought it would be nice if I brought em' to you, you know. It's funny cause the day before they shipped the poor fella' in a crate over to the estate along with Nigel's belongings by accident. Thing was a barkin' and scratchin' somethin' fierce till we finally let em' out! Ha ha, thing's been roamin' around the house since then," he explained. Although I was happy to see Hein, I also thought about my horse. Curious, I turned over to the man. "_Um_ did a horse also come in?" I asked.

"Oh, do mean the mare? No need to worry about 'er little missy, she's already been sent to the estate's fields. The stable'ands over there will take good care of 'er," he assured.

"Well then, shall we get goin'? Wouldn't want to keep her duchess waitin' now don't we?" he announced.

"_By Jove!_ Her ladyship is already expecting us?"

"Well of course! You are after all one of her favorites! Now c'mon, let's not waste anymore time 'ere!" he bellowed cheerfully as he opened the door to the carriage. However, as Aaron, Hein and Nigel stepped in; I couldn't help but turn around to look back. Although I figured we'd be back before the sun set, it felt awkward just leaving.

"Come along Clarise, we wouldn't want to keep her duchess waiting!" called Nigel from inside the carriage. Immediately I brushed away the feeling and climbed inside with the rest of them.

* * *

"Oh Break! _BREEEAAK!_" I yelled from down the empty hallway. Looking to both of my sides, I began to search in every nook and cranny there was in the small corridor but to no avail.

"_Huh_…I could've sworn I saw him walk in here. I wonder where he could be?" I asked myself as I scratched the side of my head. Alice then came up from behind; holding her stomach as she trudged towards me.

"_Oz, I'm hungry, when can we eat?_" she asked irately.

"_Uh_, not now Alice I'm busy," I was too concentrated with my hunt to pay attention when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my back. It felt like a jagged sword piercing its way through my spine, but I knew better that it was only Alice's heel digging into my back. I tried to lift my head off from the ground but was instantly smacked back down by Alice's other foot.

"_**HEY!**_ You're supposed to be my **manservant** and **listen** to me when I'm talking to you! So don't you dare try to pass me off and ignore me!" she yelled angrily. I painfully twisted my head over to my side and tried to speak.

"_Uh_, I-I'm sorry Alice! I promise we'll go look for food later but first I need t—,"

"_**NO!**_ I wanna look for meat _**NOW**__!_"

"_There you are!_" hissed Gil exasperatedly as he stormed over to us. "_What the hell do you guys think you're doing! Running off and leaving me behind and what __**the hell are you doing on top of Oz you stupid rabbit!**_"

"What was that '_seaweed head_'?" Gilbert then shoved her off and helped me up. He grabbed both of my arms and lifted me onto my feet.

"_Ah_, thanks' Gil!" I thanked him. "Now, on with my search!"

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa what the hell are you talking about? In case you've have forgotten, Break gave us specific orders to leave before their guests arrived. And I don't want to get caught not following them_!" he whispered nervously. I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"Oh c'mon Gil! Besides, I need to ask Break something very important! So if you will excuse me," I said as I tried to make my way pass him, though he quickly stepped in front of me.

"No Oz, we don't have time to ask him questions, we need to leave right now! We have to go back home." he declared seriously. I then let my shoulders drop and lifted my head to the ceiling, groaning.

"_Ugh_, _home?_ But I don't wanna go back there! There's absolutely nothing _fun_ to do over there! And besides, Uncle Oscar's out on business which makes it even _more _boringer over _there_—," I whined, extending the last word for more enfaces. However, Gil still insisted to drag me across the floor; grabbing my left arm as he started to pull. I leaned back putting all my weight behind me.

"Don't be so childish! And besides, there are _plenty_ of things to do back at the mansion!"

"Oh _really_? Like what?" I asked mockingly.

"Well there are things like…like…like exploring the mansion! Yea, exploring! You used to love to do that back then!" he cheerfully suggested.

"_Yeaaa_, and look where that's got me!" I smiled enthusiastically and nodded over to Alice. All the while we were arguing, she had been glaring at a flower that she had taken off of a vase just moments before. She looked at it for about a minute or so and then proceeded to chew on one of the petals. A few moments later passed just by observing her. Then we looked back at each other.

"Down the abyss and ten years later!" I smiled sarcastically, causing Gil to flinch. He then shamefully looked down at his feet, trying to hide the hurt in his eyes. I couldn't honestly say that I was happy with the words I said either. Although they seemed funny at the time, they weren't so much anymore. He then tried to shrug it off by looking back at Alice.

"_Huh_…point taken," he whispered. "But, we still can't be here!" he went back to our previous argument. I too went back to being childish, acting as if the incident never happened.

"_But I still haven't found Break yet!"_ I whined.

"I don't care! We need to go!" he continued to drag me.

"But I have to _ASK_ him something!" I pleaded loudly.

"NO!"

"_OZ! I'M HUNGRY AND I WANT TO EAT __**NOW**__!_" yelled Alice impatiently.

"_BU—_," I was then cut off by Gil's hand clasping over my mouth. He looked around nervously, shifting his eyes. "Someone's coming…," he whispered attentively. He then grabbed me and Alice and hid behind one of the divans; both of his hands clasped on each of our mouths. We heard footsteps and talking coming down from the end of the hallway.

"_Yes it is, I also heard these guests are from America,"_

"_Oh really, who are they?"_

"_I can't quite say but, I know that one of them is a young girl who used to be the Lady's Maid of the household,"_

"_Oh my, and for someone so young you say?"_ The rest was just gossip that slowly faded into nothing as the two maids walked out into the next hallway. I was instantly intrigued by their news.

"_Oooh_, an American girl; I heard that the girls over there are pretty cute. _Heh_, time to turn on my '_British_' charm," I said smoothly, popping my collar. But just as I was about to get up, Gil stopped me.

"Hold it there _Romeo_," he mocked, pulling me back down.

"_Aw c'mon Gil!_ _I wanna see the pretty American girl! C'mon please, pretty please!_" I begged earnestly.

"No Oz, we have to go! And besides for all you know, she could be ugly!"

"No she isn't! I wanna see for myself! Please Gil!"

"Look, they told us to leave before their guests arrived and were still here! And in case you've forgot '_again_', _Break _was the one that gave us that order! What if he sees us here? What do you think he'd say?"

"_Well that would be a question that should be answered by the person of whom you are speaking about, hm? Wouldn't you all agree~?_" whispered a familiar voice from behind us. We all yelped in surprise and jumped out from behind the divan. Break then stood up from where he was kneeling and walked up to us.

_**"DAMN YOU CLOWN! YOU NEARLY SCARED US ALL HALF TO DEATH!"**_ exclaimed Alice furiously as she tried to lunge at him. Both Gil and I held her back long enough for Break to swiftly move to the other side.

"_Aha_, Break…hi…h-how long have you been _uh_…kneeling there?" I stammered nervously.

"Oh I'd say long enough; '_time to turn on my _British_ charm_,' Mister Oz?" he asked amusingly. I let go of Alice and rubbed the back of my head embarrassed.

"_Heh_, _hey_," I replied, smug; tightening my tie. Gil however not amused, elbowed me in the ribs.

"Now as I do recall, I thought I told you three to leave here at once. How is it that you still managed not to do so?" he inquired. He then glanced to his sides, as if he was looking for something.

"Well, you see _uh _that's the thing! We were just about to leave bu—,"

"But I wanted to ask you a couple of questions regarding your guests! Sensing I didn't get the chance to before," I exclaimed, cutting off Gil. "What about them?" he asked apathetically, making his way pass us. I rushed over to his side, walking the same pace as him.

"_Ha_, well they aren't really 'questions' now that I got one of them answered. I think it's probably all the information I need~," I smirked, popping my eyebrows in interest. Break chuckled lightly at my remark. "Oh really, you sound so confident…," he said as he stopped to look down the next hallway. '_What is he doing?' _I wondered. As I observed him, it really looked like he was looking for something.

"_Uh_ Break…what exactly are you looking for?" I finally asked. He then stopped what he was doing and barely turned to face us.

"It's not really '_looking_' for something, it's more of a '_hiding_' from someone but, I guess there's no helping it. Now what was this question of yours?" he asked.

"Oh yea! Well as I said I guess they really aren't much questions no—,"

"Well then if you _don't_ have a question to ask me then I take my leave," he interrupted me, making his way pass me once again. I whirled around and gazed at him weirdly. '_What the heck is wrong with him?' _

"_Uhm_, I still have a question!" I exclaimed. Still not looking at me, he stopped right where the hallway ended and looked out. "_Then, what is it?_" I finally let out a sigh and composed myself.

"What makes them so important that makes us have to leave? From what we heard, I believe that they're only commoners," I asked. Break then turned around and placed his hand on his chin, looking puzzled.

"_Hm_, I don't know~?" he replied cheerily. All three of us gawked in frustration at his answer.

"_You mean to tell us that you don't even know?_" I muttered disappointed. Break shrugged his shoulders and slightly raised his arms in the air. "Well of course, the whole thing was arranged by Lady Sheryl and organized by _Beatrice_, the housekeeper/autocrat of this estate at the last minute. I didn't even know about it till early this morning. Though I suppose it would explain the animals that were sent here. It would seem that she's having a '_family reunion'_ of sorts," he explained.

"_**For the bloody tyrant her, Beatrice!" **_cried out Emily, sitting snugly on top of his shoulder. We still couldn't comprehend what he was trying to say.

"But…what's that got to do with us leaving in the first place if it's just a family reunion of servants?" I asked, still confused.

"Well I questioned that at first but, questioning Beatrice and her way of doing things is simply suicide. So I didn't ask," he replied as he turned to look down the hallway again. We couldn't help but stare at him. "So is _that_ who you're hiding from? _Beatrice?_" Finally realizing that no one was there, he turned to face us again and nodded eagerly.

"Yup, that's who exactly! And she's quite the bounty hunter so it be best if I not stay here any longer," he said as he turned to walk away.

Letting out a breath of exhaustion, Gil got up from the wall he was leaning upon and stood upright. "Well, I guess there's no helping it. We should leave before those people get here. Were probably going to be in the way if we stay any longer," he said, nodding towards me and Alice. Although I really wanted to stay and see what these people looked like, I didn't want to be a bother. Suddenly, Break stood up against the wall. He tensely rotated his body so that he was only turning a fractional degree to the left, letting his right eye see what was in view. He then sighed out of relief as he turned back towards us.

"_Ha, ha, ha_ well I'm afraid it's a bit too late for that~! Seeing that now she is upon us, she'll be absolutely furious if she sees you leave now. After all, it _has_ been awhile since I have told you to leave," he said while he crossed his arms smugly. I gawked at his sudden accusation. "_Tch_, what? What the heck are you talking about Break, it wasn't _that _long ago," I protested as Gil smacked his head in embarrassment.

"It was over _two hours_ ago Mister Oz…." Break corrected.

"…_Tch_…it wasn't _that_ long ago…," I repeated nervously.

"Well, can't we just go through the back?" Gil then suggested.

"_Hmm_, I suppose you could try but, just be sure that you don't get caught. Miss Beatrice will be awfully cross if she sees you and guess who will be punished if she does~?" he asked while waving his finger in the air merrily.

"_**XERXES!**_" screeched a woman's voice from inside the next hallway. Both Emily and Break cringed.

_** "Wow, that woman has a good pair of lungs!" **_exclaimed Emily frightfully. Gil and I were frightened as well.

"_Ah_, and so the lovely Beatrice calls for me~. Therefore I will be taking my leave," he announced cheerfully as he made his way over to the cabinet behind us. Finally fitting himself into the small space, he closed the doors only leaving a slight crack so that we could still see him.

"_Be careful now. Remember to_ not _get caught~!_" he whispered softly before he fully closed the doors. No sooner did Alice and Gil run to the cabinet and opened it. Realizing that they couldn't find any trace of him, they gave up on trying to find him. "_How the hell does he _do_ that?" _I asked, truly befuddled. _The world may never know… _I then took a deep breath and looked at the couple.

"Well then, I guess that leaves us no choice…_were just gonna have to stay here!_" I exclaimed happily. There was absolutely _no way_ that I was going to leave.

* * *

"So, the housekeeper of the estate is your sister?" asked Aaron as he curled his fingers around Hein's fur.

"That's correct. She has been the housekeeper for over fifteen years and is quite proud of it too," replied Nigel, sounding proud himself. It had already been a half hour since we'd left the outer ring of the city. With so many things happening around the capital, my senses could not keep up with all the wondrous sights that the city had provided. Without a doubt, Reveil was indeed peculiar.

"Clarise, my dear are you quite alright?" asked Nigel worriedly. "I've noticed that you haven't spoken a word since we left the capital," Both Aaron and Hein glanced at me anxiously as I stared back at them. Quickly I nodded my head and smiled. "Y-yes, I'm alright," I replied softly. I then took my eyes off of them and looked out the window once more. We were now entering what seemed to be the woodland region of the province.

"_Uhm_, Nigel…where exactly are we?" Aaron asked. Nigel then stopped to look around.

"Oh! Well, it appears we have now entered the French Quarter of Reveil. Here is where all the majority of the nobility live," he explained, promptly passing several estates. All of them appeared grand and luxurious; it almost hurt to look at them. Not only had the chattels made an impact but the people as well. Men and women, dressed in elegance and majesty were strolling down the streets as if they owned it. Even the children were dressed quite beautifully. I self-consciously looked down at my own little black outfit with dress, gloves and bonnet. It looked like utter rags compared to the others in their unique splendor. I sighed pitifully as I looked away from the scene.

"So, what's up with these Rainsworth folk anyway? Are they like, important to the King and Queen or somethin'?" he asked curiously. Nigel let out a breath of exhaustion and turned to face Aaron and me. He then cleared his throat and straightened his glasses. "It appears that I haven't told you yet have I? Well you might as well know about them sensing that you are going to meet with them," He started. "Regarding your first question my boy, the noble family of Rainsworth, as I've said before, is one of the most prestigious families in all of Britain. They and three others families make up what is known as the '_Four Great Dukedoms_' in this land," He said as he looked down upon his lap.

"_The Four Great Dukedoms?_" repeated Aaron.

"Yes, they are the ones who were anointed by the royal family to preside over Reveil. Along with the Rainsworth family, there is the Barma family, the Vessalius family, and the Nightray family," He finished, clearing his throat.

"_Huh_…wow," said Aaron. I was somewhat intrigued by the details.

"They are most important to the King and Queen. Trust me, you will hear more talk of them as you go on with daily life in Reveil, but let us not dwell on that too much. What I really wish to know is if you are comfortable with your environment?" he asked us.

"_Eh_? Well…it's alright I guess…though it's different from what I expected." said Aaron as he looked up at the roof of the carriage.

"Oh? And how so?"

"I dunno, I always thought England would be…_smaller_, for some reason. Don't know _why_ but, I just randomly thought of that," he said, almost in a whisper. I looked at him confused as he continued to stare out the window. "Alright then...and what about you Clarise my dear? Are you comfortable?" Nigel continued.

"Oh, well…it's hard to explain," I said as I looked out the window. "It's all so new to me. It definitely feels like I'm in another world. At least, in a good way…," I said distantly. Nigel simply nodded his head and looked straight ahead. "Are we going to their main estate?" I then asked him.

"Oh no my dear, the estate were going to happens to be 'one' of the villas the family owns. Her duchess's granddaughter resides there, the _Lady Sharon_."

"It's just change after change huh?" said Aaron as he crossed his arms over his chest. Hein then jumped onto my lap and snuggled closely to me. "_Ahem_, and speakin' of changes…how's your hair doin'?" he asked warily, cautious as to not look me straight in the eye.

"Much better now, thank you," I replied as I started to stroke the back of Hein's head. "Are you sure? I mean…it really did look better when it was longer so, I mean, I thought that-,"

"Oh no please, I really am fine about it," I assured calmly. Understanding, he smiled coyly and dropped the matter. Sighing tiredly, I reached for what little was of my hair. '_At least it was 'just' my hair.' _I thought thankfully. It now only barely reached the tip of my shoulders. Either way, I was still thankful. Brom then called out to us as he made a straight turn over onto a new path.

_"WELL NOW DOVIES! WERE 'ERE!" _he bellowed merrily.

"Any minute now, just pass these trees and you'll see it," said Nigel.

"_Really?_" exclaimed Aaron as he got up and went over to the side. He unlocked the latch below the window and leaned out. Both Aaron and Hein looked out and gazed in awe as they saw the estate come into full view. I did the same only not as enthusiastically. The house was bigger than I had expected; it leered over us in an almost welcoming way as we headed closer to it. But as we were entering the main gates, the feeling changed. Everyone who was outside was staring at us. They almost seemed to be welcoming but yet judgmental at the same time. Hein jumped back into my arms as I continued to look out. As I looked to my left, a couple of the maids scuffled out of a doorway with laundry basins. One of them raised an eyebrow and gave me a disapproving glare as she began to order the others to go on ahead. The carriage then halted to a slow stop in front of the main doors.

"Alright-y then, 'ere we go!" hollered Brom as he jumped down from the carriage. When he opened the carriage door, Aaron had accidentally fallen out and hit the back of his head against the pavement due to him leaning back against the door. Hein was the second to come out, jumping directly on top of Aaron's stomach. Aaron groaned from the pain.

"Aaron my boy, please do get up. You're making quite the scene," chided Nigel as he stepped out, careful to not step on him. And of course, I was the last one to get out. I slowly stepped onto the cobble pavement and reluctantly looked at the entrance. Once again, I felt like a child; too nervous to go inside the big house. I even wondered if it was alright for us to enter through the main entry.

"Why don't you go on in love? Us big, burly men will handle the old man's baggage, _eh?_ Isn't that right boys?" Brom bellowed heartily as he patted Aaron on the back; knocking him back down on the floor. With that, I slowly made my way up the steps. As I reached the two doors, I took a deep breath and pulled on one of the big iron knockers. Once opened, I took a small step inside. The sight that met me seemed to be the foyer of the establishment. With a grand staircase, an enormous crystal chandelier hanging above the ceiling and elegant furnishings posted along the room, I couldn't help but feel intimidated. I was about to sit on a nearby sofa when a woman's voice laughed elegantly from the staircase above. I shot up in surprise. The woman was in a velvet blue, high top gown. Her light blonde hair was put up in a high, almost perfect, tight plait while her hands were placed firmly on her hips as she looked down upon me.

"_Ahahaha,_ well, well, look what we have here?" she hollered. From behind her, two maids came up and stood at each at her sides. I didn't know what else to do but stare, rather frightened.

"Welcome my dear, welcome to your new home," she said, kindlier this time. The room seemed to get bigger and more intimidating by the second.

"_Home…?_" I whispered as I continued to stare at her; my eyes unable to tear away from her fierce, blue gaze.

* * *

**{A/N}: omg…that was fast…for me I mean. This has to be the longest and fastest chapter that I have ever written or typed like, ever. I am somewhat amazed it's not even funny. Wow… just wow. Again though, I have the need to apologize, although a couple of y'all said that the last chapter wasn't boring. I just have to wonder about whether this one was. And also if they characters weren't too much OOC. Oh well, I guess I am a bit too harsh on myself sometimes^^.**

**Oz: **Well at least 'I' got to make an appearance after all!

**{A/N}:** **Yea, due to the fact it was **_**so long! Your appearance took friggen six pages!**_

**Oz: **So? At least I appeared which probably didn't make it boring!

**Gil:** (sweat-drops) Oz, don't be conceited…

**Oz: **What? I'm not conceited! That's an insult Gil!

**Alice:** Hey where's the meat in this place?

**{A/N}: DON'T TOUCH THAT!**

**{During the mist of chaos, Echo takes the keyboard and begins typing}**

**Echo**: **Please review…no **_**seriously **_**review. She goes into her corner and **_**stays**_** there for hours if nobody reviews. So please review.**


	6. Home

**{A/N}:** **Okay…well here's the 5th chapter. Don't really have much to say just that, thank you all to those who reviewed. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Home} ~_

* * *

It was as if thunder had struck me. I then glanced down at my feet, unable to keep up with the woman's eyes. '_Home…?'_ I wondered.

"Well now, are you just going to stand there or are you going to come up here and greet me properly?" she asked as she strode to the other side of the stairs. Her smile began to get softer as she came closer to me. I slowly looked up in her direction and before I knew it, she had her arms wrapped around me.

"_My dear, I'm terribly sorry for what has happened to you. I could only imagine the pain you must be going through,_" she soothed. Both maids from upstairs gasped in what sounded like amazement as they stared at us. She then let go of me and looked me straight in the eye. Grabbing my chin, she lifted it into the light, inspecting each side of my face.

"_Hmph_, not a single tear line…tough girl," she complimented as she let go of me. "My name is Beatrice Lockwood; Nigel's younger sister and the housekeeper of this estate. You must be _Clarise_, correct?" she asked as the two maids stepped down from the stairway and stood beside her.

"Y-yes ma'am," I stammered, slowly nodding my head. She then shifted her gaze towards the entrance.

"And you must be _Aaron_ Dawson!" she hollered. Turning around, I could see Aaron trudging in with two heavy bags. When he finally set them down on the floor, Brom came up from behind him and patted his back playfully; causing him to fall flat on his face.

"Well now laddie! Not as strong as ya think ya are, _eh?_ _Haha_, you crack me up!" He bellowed cheerily as he walked straight in. Nigel and Hein followed not too far behind.

"Well if it isn't my precious older brother, where have _you_ been all this time?" Nigel tipped his hat and slightly bowed to her. "Somewhere in the Americas, hiding from you my beloved sister," he answered coyly. The woman then walked passed me and embraced him too, lovingly. Once again, the maids gasped in surprise as they watched the scene unfold.

"Goodness now Vivian, it hasn't even been three weeks. You couldn't honestly have missed me that much?" Nigel chuckled. She lifted her head off of his shoulder and glared at him. "More than you'll ever know…," she whispered softly. She then let go of him and walked to the foot of the staircase. "Well, there's no use for any of us to continue standing here; the Madame and Lady are waiting upstairs in the parlour room as we speak," she announced. "In the mean time Nigel, don't worry about your luggage. Brom will handle transporting it to your quarters," Brom grinned as he easily grabbed the two heavy bags Aaron was struggling to carry earlier. With that, we followed the three women to the stairs. But as we reached the mid-balcony, I began to hear faint whispering from above in the veranda beside us. I quickly turned to see who it was, but as soon as I turned my head, it immediately stopped. I looked around to see if anyone was up there but, evidently found no one.

"Clarise darling don't dawdle, hurry up!" exclaimed Beatrice. Reluctantly, I began to pick up my pace and follow after them.

* * *

"_Do you think she saw us_?" I whispered, ducking my head. Gil glanced over the divan and came back down.

"No…she's gone now," he breathed exhaustfully.

"Oh man, did you not see that? God, she is _**so **_cute! With her petite, slender figure and lovely brunette hair! Who _has_ looks like that?" '_Uncle Oscar was right! Girls from America __**are **__cute!' _I beamed happily, squirming due to the extreme joy I was experiencing.

"Well now that that's over with, you had your look, now let's go," whispered Gil; shattering my joy. "_Whaaaat? But Gil—_,"

"Hey! You said you wanted to see her and you did! Now, just like we agreed, we have to go! I promise we'll try and come back tomorrow but nothing more than that! Do you understand?" I pouted childishly and leaned back against the divan. '_What the hell is up with him these days? He's treating me more and more like a child rather than a 'master'…I wonder what could be wrong?' _

"I mean we were lucky enough to find that stupid rabbit food in time before she could go berserk!" We then glanced over to Alice, who was silently crouched behind another divan, munching on a drumstick having her back towards us. _He's right, we __**were**__ lucky…' _I nodded.

"Fine, but you promise?" I asked, extending my finger out in his face. He rolled his eyes and brushed it off. "Promise, now let's get out of here before anyone sees us," he said as he got up. The three of us then stood and started heading towards the hallway. However, as we were reaching the end, I felt a sudden throb in my chest. I stopped dead in my tracks, instinctively reaching for the incuse. Strangely enough however, I didn't feel any pain; the throb felt more like a dense thud that had echoed through my body. Immediately, I wanted to unbutton my shirt and see what had happened, but knowing that if I did that, I would worry Gil and Alice. '_Alice! Did she…!?' _

"Oz!" called Gil. I shot up from my daze and looked to them. They were already at the foot of the stairs, waiting for me to come along. Gil's brows pulled together in concern as he continued to stare at me. "Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly. I glanced back down and tried my best to rid him of any suspicion. The last thing I wanted to do was to turn something as insignificant as this into a big deal. Quickly I feigned a smile.

"Nope! Sorry, I just had a slow moment is all!" I exclaimed happily, rubbing the back of my head embarrassed. Alice charily raised an eyebrow and glared at me.

"Are you sure?" Gil continued to pry. I nodded eagerly, hoping that the act could be interpreted as indifference. But as Gil and Alice stared at me, I began to feel anxious—as if they could see right through my act as easily as I feared they could.

"Yea, of course, I'm sure!" I responded. Gil lifted his head distrustfully. "Well, then let's go. We don't want to get caught remember?" he said, putting a little trust in my response.

"Right, let's get going!" I yelled. Catching up to them, I couldn't help but look back. Whatever I had felt before was gone now, but two strange new feelings began to set in place. I started to feel a sudden sense of reminiscence and sadness. Thinking back, I didn't seem to recall anything that could've elicited it. We hadn't done anything since this morning and even so it still didn't make sense. _Unless…the girl we just saw… _I mentally slapped myself for even thinking the idea. W_hat the hell am I thinking? We just met her! Not even that, I just 'saw' her for the first time for like a few seconds! She couldn't possibly be—_

"Hurry up Oz!" yelled Alice from below the stairs. I instantly waved off the suggestion. As I finally caught up with them, I didn't bother to look back a second time.

* * *

After returning to the group's side, I quickly got beside Aaron so that I wouldn't be scolded. I felt him nudge me in the ribs as we neared the next hallway.

"So, you nervous?" he whispered.

"Nervous? About what?" I questioned. He groaned in annoyance as he sucked his teeth. "The people?" I stared at him confused at first but then finally understood. '_Oh, that's right…the whole reason were here in the first place,' _I remembered. "Oh, yes…I don't know, should I be?" I asked.

"_Ugh_, never mind. You really are scatterbrained you know that?" he teased apathetically. I rolled my eyes and turned the other way. I actually didn't know if I should've been nervous or not. And in reality, thinking about it, I was more curious than anything else. Just who were these people exactly? Being one of their countries' most honored families; were they arrogant, snobbish? Or were they really kind, just as Nigel had described? Either way, we were bound to find out. Turning to our left, we saw two huge doors right beside the middle of the passageway. Beatrice then turned back to us; the maids grabbing on to the handles of the doors. "Now then, when we enter, you will be on your best behavior. If the Madame speaks to you directly, you will address her with the upmost importance. Are we clear?" she asked. Aaron and I nodded our heads obediently.

"Oh come now, Beatrice, you don't have to remind them," Nigel turned towards us and smiled proudly. "After all, they are the most well-mannered children I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I expect no less from them when it comes to etiquette," he finished. I smiled lovingly at the gesture while Aaron snickered. With that, the maids opened the doors.

Inside, the room appeared enormous; much bigger than the parlour room back home. It expanded out high towards the ceiling and stretched to the walls. At the far end, two grand glass-paned windows lengthened almost to the top. As well as the grand hall everything was gracefully furnished along with flower vases and luxuriant seating and paintings. Along with everything considered handsome, seated in the middle of the huge room were two women, along with two men standing beside each of them. The one seated to the left appeared to be a young girl wearing an elegant, light blue indigo gown. Her long, ginger colored hair was held in a high plait by a ruffled, green bow as her bangs nearly covered her forehead while two locks of hair shaped the frame of her petite face. Her magenta irises looked over to me, smiling benevolently as she caught my eye. The elderly women sitting beside her wore a dark, lilac gown and crème colored shawl, covering her shoulders; her skin and facial features withering from age. She too smiled benevolently as she wearily turned to face us. "_Well now, I was beginning to wonder if you would ever show up. What took you so long?_" the elder woman asked lightheartedly.

"I-if you would please forgive our belatedness milady, our boat was slightly delayed due to the weath—," Nigel began to explain, though he was immediately cut off by the old woman's hand.

"Oh come now Nigel, you know full well that I am one responsible for being late. I'm simply glad that you are here now, along with these children," She motioned the both of us; I smiled timidly in midst of her gaze. "You must be the young girl Nigel described in his letter. He has told me a great deal about you; _Clarisse Dawson_, am I correct?" she asked. I stiffened a bit under the question. One of my biggest pet peeves was that of name mispronunciation, and like it always was with every other person, she pronounced my name wrong. _It's pronounced 'Clarise' not 'Clarisse'._ I wanted to correct her, but of course, I held my tongue. She was nobility after all; would it be that wrong to correct her on _my_ name? I didn't want to find out.

"Y-yes your ladyship," I stammered, slightly bowing my head. Suddenly, a light chuckle escaped from one of the men standing beside them. Lifting my head slightly, I flinched as I saw who it was. The man standing beside the young girl had pearly grey hair parted neatly down the sides of his face. A little portion of it was brushed to one side, completely covering his left eye. His mouth was covered by his sleeve, hiding his smirk. However, it was when he opened his eye did I feel shocked. It took my breath away as I stared at it. Red…his eye was…_red_, like crimson. Finally able to tear away from it, his appearance was also puzzling. However the thing that I could not quite grasp the most was the strange looking doll that was sitting on his shoulder. It had an eerie look to it; besides the fact that it was **blue**...the way it smiled…I lowered my head and stepped back a bit. The young girl vaguely twisted her head towards him, glaring slightly. I could also sense Beatrice scowling at the man.

"And you must be _Aaron Dawson_," the woman continued. Aaron tensed at the mention of his name. "Nigel has also told me a thing or two about you young man," the she spoke. Aaron rubbed the back of his head, blushing embarrassedly. "_Ma'am_," he mumbled. The woman smiled once more as she began to straightened herself. "Now I suppose it's our turn to introduce ourselves; my name is _Sheryl Rainsworth_. And this is my granddaughter, _Sharon Rainsworth_." She stated. Hein then came up from behind me and scampered over the young girl. She squealed in delight as she saw him.

"_Ah_, Hein! I'm so sorry!" I apologized, completely mortified. Hein paid no heed to me as he squirmed inside of the young girl's arms.

"Oh no, no need to worry! I've grown used to it since he arrived. He's so adorable!" she commented as she held him. The strange man beside her seemed to somewhat grimace as he saw the display. The old woman seemed to be amused by it as well.

"My, my, this certainly has been quite the overture. Though unfortunately, I'm afraid that I'll have to dismiss you both for now; I must speak with Nigel and Beatrice in private for a bit," She announced. Nigel seemed to be taken aback by her gesticulation and nodded submissively while Beatrice bowed her head and walked towards her. The elder woman then turned to the other man beside her.

"Reim, would you mind taking these children on a little tour of the manor? If you would be so kind," she asked. I had forgotten that the man was there while we were speaking. Unlike the strange one, this one had light brown hair and wore glasses that had slid down his nose when he was mentioned.

"Y-yes, Lady Sheryl of course," he stuttered, discomfited by his lack of attention. He then made his way passed them and came to us.

"Well then, if you would please follow me," he said, smiling timidly. I returned the gesture and began to follow him. However, as we began to walk, I couldn't help but look back. Though as soon as I turned, I found that the strange man who had laughed at me earlier was still staring at me; his red eye slowly observing my figure. He seemed to look right through me as I slowly began to turn away. Just as I did, his mouth formed an eerie grin, beaming across his face. As we stepped out of the room, the man turned to face us.

"Well, I suppose I should introduce myself as well. My name is Reim Lunettes. I am one of the advisors to this household. I'm very pleased to meet you both," he said. "Aaron and Clarisse, right?" he asked. "Actually it's '_Clarise_'," I corrected, I wasn't about to let him get it wrong. He looked at me confused before continuing to speak.

"Clarise? But I assumed it was _Clarisse_?"

"Sorry, I-I didn't have the heart to correct her ladyship; I was afraid a simple commoner such as I would be out of place if I tried," I replied guilty.

"Oh but, if that wasn't how you pronounced your name then of course you would have to correct it. Regardless of who said it," he countered warmly. "I know that this must all be difficult for you both but please, don't feel intimidated by the status here. Everyone is treated both respectfully and humanely, including servants," he nodded. "Now then, Miss _Clarise_, Aaron shall we move on?" he asked, motioning us to come. I nodded my head and began to follow him. While guiding us throughout the manor, he spoke to us normally, using little formality. He showed us the kitchen, the dining room, the grand hall, and even the ballroom. It was almost too good to be real. By the time we reached the end of our tour, the sky was already turning dark. We heard Reim let out a breath of exhaustion while he plopped himself down on a nearby chair.

"Oh my, that indeed was a strenuous walk, aren't you lucky you actually get to sleep tonight," he breathed. Aaron began to chat with him while I quietly sat down on the couch beside them. As much as I wanted to join them something else was on my mind, something that shouldn't have been of any importance but bothersome nonetheless. My thoughts were completely focused on the incident that happened in the parlour room, back to where I was interrupted by that man. '_Who exactly was he?_ _Laughing at me, making me feel like an idiot. What a jerk…,'_ I thought irritably. It just so happened that I was too involved with my irritation that I didn't notice Reim and Aaron trying to get my attention.

"Hey _uhm_, Clair; are you ok?" asked Aaron nervously. I instantly snapped out of my frustration and turned back to them; quickly throwing on a smile.

"_Eh? _Oh yes of course why wouldn't I be?" I answered, innocently cocking my head to the side.

"_Uh_, you seemed to be caught up in somethin'. Are you sure?" he asked again. I glanced at them wonderingly. '_Maybe I should tell them. Surely, Reim must know something,' _I thought.

"Well, there is one thing I would like to know…_Reim?_" I asked, glancing at him.

"About that man, the one with the red eye…just who was he? I'm sorry if my question seems abrupt but, I just have to know," I asked, eagerly awaiting his answer. Reim then shut his eyes and groaned in irritation while he took off his glasses.

"Ah yes, that would be _Xerxes_ I'm afraid. Please, I deeply apologize for his behavior before. He usually isn't _that_ rude around guests. Please, try not worry about it, he's nothing to fret about," he assured. Aaron crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall.

"Count to think of it, did ya _see_ his eye? _Man_, never in my entire life have I ever seen red eyes like his before. Kinda creepy, I'm not gonna lie," he laughed.

"Yes well, that's him alright. Now if I do say so myself, I believe we should be heading back. Lady Sheryl will most definitely be expecting us," he announced tiredly. Both Aaron and I glanced at each other, puzzled.

"Yea, right? It is kinda gettin' late huh? What, does the lady want to say goodbye or somethin'?" Aaron yawned as he made his way forward.

"Will Nigel be coming with us or will he stay here?" I asked Reim. Reim stared at me as if he was confused.

"I beg your pardon?" he then said.

"I asked you if Nigel would be coming back with us. To his apartment in Reveil," I repeated.

"His apartment you say?" he raised his brow. I nodded my head, rather confused at the lack of inclination to answer my question. "I assume he's isn't?" I smiled. Reim continued to stare at me until he glanced at the floor, hiding his face.

"Is something wrong?" I then pried. Aaron, who was only a few feet ahead of us, turned to look back at Reim. Finally, Reim looked back up at me and gave a half-hearted smile. "No Miss Clarise, nothing is wrong. Uh…why don't we all start heading back? It will be evening soon. We wouldn't want to keep the others waiting," he said.

"But why do we have to go back?" stopped Aaron. "It's obvious by the look on your face that the ole' man's gonna stay here. Why should we have to go back?" he posed, eyeing Reim with caution.

"Well because, the Lady wishes to speak with you. Before you leave I mean, now come along. We really shouldn't make them wait any longer," Reim explained. He then made his way past Aaron and began to head back. However Aaron still eyed him as he walked. I too couldn't help but feel suspicious, still, we followed him back to the room. When we entered, neither the man nor the girl was present. It was only Nigel, Beatrice and Sheryl, now seated in a wheelchair in front of us along with another man. He was standing right behind the old woman. He had dark, burgundy hair and dull grey eyes; staring apathetically in my direction. His stare made me feel very uneasy. Luckily, he then glanced down at Sheryl, letting go of me. I then looked over to Nigel and Beatrice; both of them void of any expression.

"Well, well, I didn't expect the meeting to be so long. I give you my sincerest of apologies for making you wait so long. Although I hope you enjoyed your tour," Sheryl smiled. However, the rest of the room was silent and a familiar tension began to build up once more as we stood there.

"D-did you want to speak with us, your ladyship?" I asked, suddenly nervous.

"Yes I did my dear," she replied. I slowly clenched my hands in anxiety. Though before she could speak, Nigel stepped in.

"Milady, I think it would be better if I explained this to them myself," he offered, monotone. He then turned to us and took off his glasses; wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Children…I know I may have said many things before heading on with this trip of ours but…I just want you to know…it has been a pleasure, both working and being with you till now," he said, looking down solemnly.

"What's going on?" Aaron spoke up; his suspicions riled.

"Children, I'm afraid…I am forced to leave you here in this estate." Nigel announced. I simply stood there, bemused.

"_Wha...what…?_" I said, barely even a whisper. My heart sank as the tension quickly grew thicker in the room.

* * *

**{A/N}:** **Ah! Cliffhanger! Lol well there you go.**

**I hope everyone's descriptions were to your liking I seriously like to thank those who reviewed. Y'alls words totally made my day. Yes, reviews would be nice**


	7. Strange Encounter

**{A/N}: I totally forgot about the setting for this story but if it must have one, I guess it should be after Ch.46 :P Please review and enjoy**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Strange Encounter} ~_

* * *

Speechless, I staggered back a few steps and accidentally lost my footing, landing directly beside Reim's feet. Worried, he knelt down with me and held me by the shoulders. As sad as it sounded, I honestly could not understand what was going on.

"What are you talkin' about? What's goin' on?" asked Aaron, barely keeping his voice down. When no one answered him, he snapped.

_** "Well? Answer me; what the hell is goin' on?!**_**" **he shouted.

"Aaron, please calm yourself!" rebuked Beatrice when Nigel stepped in.

"Please Vivian," he said, sternly. He then turned to us, still empty of expression. "I have just accepted to accompany her ladyship to go and work for her in her estate…," he then paused; hesitating before continuing. "But because of that conclusion…it leaves me no other choice but leave you behind,"

"Alright…so then you leave…and we just go back to the apartment, like nothin's changed?" uttered Aaron.

"No Aaron…I'm afraid that you can no longer stay there as well," Nigel frowned. "Believe me, I thought I would be allowed to let you stay in the apartment or at least take you with me but…unfortunately it cannot be so," He stated.

_** "And why not?**_**"** Aaron continued to pry. Nigel lowered his head guiltily before looking back up. His eyes seemed to be pleading, as if he was begging for us to understand.

"You'll have to forgive me…but I'm afraid I cannot answer,"

"_Ha_…so that's how it is then…," Aaron sneered. My head was faced down the entire time. I couldn't bring myself to look at them.

"Please children, try to understand; this was a very difficult decision for me to make. I know that you both have already been through so much and I had promised you that we would stay together no mattered what, however, as of right now…this is for the best. I know you might not understand all the details as to why yet but…please, do not take this as me disserting you," he whispered sorrowfully.

_** "Then how the hell are we supposed to take this old man; you takin' a break?! What the Sam hill do you want us to think? One moment you say that everythin' will be fine and that there's nothin' to worry about and then all of the sudden you just decide to leave us, with nothin'? Explain to me how the fuck is that fair?"**_ Aaron yelled angrily. Confused, I leaned to the side, still looking down at the floor. I could feel Reim's hands tighten their grip on my shoulders.

"You take us away from our home; the only place we've ever known, fillin' our heads sayin' that we could start over. That we'd be safer and better off here…and now you wanna leave? Just ditch us here with no knowledge of anythin' or anyone in this land? We trusted you, **I **trusted you and this is how you repay us? By throwin' it back in our face? Oh but I know, I know why you wanted us to come. I'm only sorry that I didn't see it sooner,"he chuckled, shaking his head. "This place here is need of easy labor, people they can manipulate and hire with little to almost no pay. And just cause we're foreigners and have no place to go, we're just the perfect pick._ You and that lady is as sick as they come!" _he spat.

"_How dare you!_" Beatrice seethed. I, on the other hand, couldn't take anymore. Without saying a word, I forced my way out of Reim's grip and began to head for the door. As soon as I stepped out, I began to walk faster. Aaron and Beatrice called after me, but I didn't care. I just kept going.

* * *

The tension in the room only thickened as everyone in the room just stood there. Nigel clenched his gloved fists tightly, taking in a shallow breath. Sheryl gazed at him in concern while the others stared out into the hallway where the girl had disappeared. Sheryl then heard a small chuckle emerge from behind her. Rufus Barma, who was griping the handles of her wheelchair, didn't bother to hide his sneer.

"_My, my…such ill-mannered children,_" he whispered furtively.

"_Great, now look what you've done,_" Aaron said, glaring intently at Nigel. "Out of the both of us, Clarise was the one that trusted and confided in you the most…and now look what's happened,"

"I'm goin' after her," he concluded, but as soon as he turned around, Beatrice placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"No, let her be for the moment," she said. "I highly doubt that she could get far in this mansion, so I think it would be best if we look for her after she's had time to calm down,"

Aaron gritted his teeth; hesitating. Beatrice however, refused to back down. "Please, at least give her a few minutes," she pleaded. Even though he didn't want to listen to her, he had to admit she was right to some degree, and in the end had to let it go. Seeing that Aaron had relaxed, she then smiled and let out a sigh. "Well now, with such tempers you must surely be famished. Come on, I might as well fetch you something to eat while you wait," she offered. Aaron reluctantly began to follow her out of the room. When they had left, it became quiet. Nigel sighed wearily as he stared at the doors. "I will begin making arrangements for the children's belongings," he breathed.

"Nigel, are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this? It is still not too late to change your mind you know," Sheryl then spoke, hoping that perhaps he would take on the annulment. However, knowing Nigel, she knew that she wouldn't receive the answer that she wanted.

"No milady; I thought I had made it perfectly clear to you the first time. Once I have entered a commitment...I _cannot _back down from it. It is against my honor," he replied dutifully. The old woman couldn't help but smile.

"Well then, shall we go?" she stated. She then glanced over to Reim; who was tiredly leaning back against the wall behind him.

"Reim, would you be so kind as to check on the young woman? Just to make sure she's alright?" Sheryl asked him.

"Yes milady," he replied, bowing his head. They then heard the pitter-patter of rain hit against the windows. Both Nigel and Reim looked rather surprised to see the fast change in weather. Sheryl however, raised her eyebrows and calmly placed a hand over her mouth.

"Oh my, is it raining already?" she questioned, slightly astonished at the scene. The grand windows behind them reflected the oncoming clouds that loomed over the blackened sky.

"Oh dear, I do hope this doesn't turn into a storm," she said. A flash of lightening then filled the room, soon followed by the crashing sound of thunder.

* * *

I didn't know where I was going, nor did I bother to think about it. All I knew was that I needed to get out of there.

Rushing into the next hallway, I saw the main stairs. I was close to reaching them when I suddenly rammed right into a pair of maids. Much to my dismay, they were the same maids that had accompanied us to the room before. Apparently I had collided into the short, black-haired one with pigtails, knocking her off her feet. Her laundry basin was tossed to the side with all the neatly piled clothing now furrowed. The tall, red-haired one gasped and nearly dropped her basin in surprise. She looked down at me in confusion, though I immediately got back up and made my way past them. I hastily made it down the stairs, almost tripping on one of the steps. Seeing the grand doors ahead, I smiled in relief. '_Almost there, I'm almost there!' _I thought relieved. Going out the doorsInearly slipped heading out onto the concrete stairs; I surprised me that it was raining, though I still managed to keep going. If there was one thing set in my mind, it was that I didn't want to slow down. I then made a sharp turn to my left, heading straight into the wooded area. I wanted to keep going; I wanted to get as far away from there as possible. I shot a glance behind my shoulder; the huge manor steadily began to get smaller. Pleased with this, I continued, coming up to what seemed to be a hill. _I'll run away from this place! I'll get out of here soon enough and go back home!' _ I nodded. However, just as I had reached the edge of the hill, I stopped. Gazing out into the blackness in front of me, I took a moment to gather my thoughts.

For the first time since I left the room, I started to think reasonably, realizing the immaturity of the whole thing. Reluctantly, I looked back at the manor. Running away would have been completely stupid. No matter how angry I got, no matter how sad I would get, I knew that if I had actually ran away, I would be hurting the ones I loved. I clenched my fists in frustration. Looking down at myself, I noticed that I was soaked to the bone. Both my dress and my bonnet were ruined, and my shoes were also worn out. On top of that, I was exhausted. '_What was I thinking…I'm such a fool,' _I scolded lightening shone over the huge manor almost in an ominous way, making me feel even more helpless.

I honestly did not want to go back, but what choice did I have?_ 'I acted horribly in front of everyone. I'll have to apologize for what I did.' _I nodded, but just as I started to walk back, my foot suddenly got caught in a hidden shrub. Without warning, I then fell backwards and violently tumble down the hill. I tried to scream but the dirt kept hitting my mouth and face. I could gradually feel myself getting faster and faster falling down the sodden ground when my back hit something hard and rigid. The sudden impact knocked the breath right out of me. For a few moments I laid there, gasping in pain and sprawled out on the ground like a torn rag doll. I felt broken; my entire body was stunned from the whole fall. I couldn't feel anything but sheer pain. Still unable to call for help, I didn't know what to do, I felt completely weak. Helplessly, I tried to put my entire weight on my arms, wanting to take a look up from where I fell. My vision was blurry, barely able to see the top of the mound. My older wounds began to ache as I moved. Unable to even push myself up, I gave up. '_This isn't good' _I thought to myself. _ 'Now how am I supposed to get out of here?' _

"_My, my, a tad bit clumsy today aren't we~_," teased an unknown voice from behind. Slowly, I twisted my head around. It was too dark to make out anything; all I could hear were the sloshing footsteps of someone coming towards me. I began to panic.

"_W-who's there?_" I demanded, trying to sound fierce. A flash of lighting lit the sky, illuminating the small opening in front of me. My eyes widened in fear as I saw who it was. Still wearing the same grin on his face, he slowly emerged from the shadows. The lightening revealed his features along with the little blue doll still perched upon his shoulder. With an umbrella hanging loosely above his head, he leisurely made his way over to where I was. Immediately my body tensed with the desire to run, wanting nothing more than to get away from him. Noticing my agitation, he stopped a foot in front of me. I shifted myself to the right, only making myself cringe in more pain.

"I wouldn't move if I were you, you took quite a hit ramming into that tree so it would be wise for you to cease all motion~," he warned, playfully.

** "**_**What the hell do you want?"**_ I hissed angrily.

"Now, now there's no need to be hostile. And after I came down all this way just to help you; simply rude~_,_" I stared at him, baffled. "_H-help me?_" I asked. His smile widened as he bent down towards me.

"That's right! Perhaps you're not as daft as I thought you were. I mean after all, running away wasn't exactly the brightest choice seeing the situation that you're in," he chided clandestinely. "Not only that but even after you savagely rammed into that poor girl in the foyer, I would've pegged you to be completely mad! Speaking of which by the way: Over here, '_mad_' is a term for _foolish_, not necessarily angry~," he smirked.

"Wait, you were there when that happened?" I gaped, still baffled.

"But of course~, I was only walking by when I happened to see it. Quite rude really, you didn't even apologize," he frowned childishly.

"Well thanks for your concern but I don't _need_ any '_help'! _I can take care of myself!" I seethed. At first he was taken aback by my retort, but then chuckled.

"_Oh?_ Well that's charming, but I'm afraid you're in no condition to refuse. You're wounded enough as it is and it would be simply bothersome if you were to injure yourself any further,"

_"I don't need your help, I'm fine!"_ I glared; trying in one last attempt to lift myself up off the ground. I managed to get on top of my knees and place a hand on the wet bark of the tree beside me. He eyed me suspiciously; the smirk slowly fading into a small frown. Thinking that I was making good progress, I gripped my hold onto the tree, finally getting my left leg to push me up. However, a sharp pain had erupted from inside my ankle. I gasped in pain as I fell back onto the ground, resisting the urge to cry out.

"Well, can't say I didn't warn you~," he mused. "Not only have you injured your entire upper body but it seems that you also dislocated you ankle; a pity indeed," A roll of thunder had interrupted the ambiance. The man sighed jadedly as he gazed up into the sky.

"Oh well, it's unpleasant but it seems I have no other choice but to carry you back," he announced unwillingly. He then knelt down beside me, dropped his umbrella and began to wrap his arm around my shoulders.

** "**_**Let go! Get your hands off of me!**_" I shouted, struggling against him. I tried my best to break free but to my surprise, he had a very strong grip. He then lifted me up to where my feet couldn't reach the ground. So close was I to his face that I was practically staring into his eye.

"Stubborn little thing aren't you? Can't really say that's noble~," he teased.

_**"Can't really say it's smart either!" **_screeched the blue doll. At that moment my

entire body froze.

"_Did…d-did that thing just_ _**talk!?**_" He then glanced over to the little doll then back to me.

"Well technically it's not a thing; it's more of a '_doll_' so to speak. They do have '_dolls_' over in America right?" he asked, completely ignoring my question.

_**"Don't speak so quickly! You might have to talk slowly to her if you want to get an intelligent answer!" **_it scolded.

"Now, Emily you mustn't be so hurtful~," he scolded back. Was I losing my mind?

"_Did it just_ _**insult**__ me_?"

"Well i—,"

"Whatever it doesn't matter just _**LET GO OF ME!**_" In a quick and desperate attempt to get away, I vigorously began to shove off of him. To my surprise, it worked. Though what was unfortunate was that I had _flung_ myself off, into open air. As I fell, I looked at the man. It was at that exact moment did everything seem to slow down. He too was falling; his hair slightly parted away from his face due to the rush of air. Lightning and thunder struck once more, filling everything with light and sound. I happened to be staring right at him when I saw it; an empty black hole, right where his left eye should've been. But before I could react, I felt a dull thud behind my head, turning everything black.

* * *

Break fell just a few inches in front of where the young girl had fallen. As soon as he sat up he glanced over to her; her unconscious figure lay crumpled against the tree. He figured that as she fell, hit her head against the tree thus stopping her fall but resulting in her current state. Cautiously, he got up and walked over to her. He then knelt down, carefully inspecting the wounds. He gently placed two fingers behind her neck; checking for a pulse. When he found one he began to relax a little; slightly relieved that she was still alive.

"_Ah, what a pain…_," he breathed, subconsciously reaching for the left side of his face. He thought back to when they both fell and how his hair slightly elevated, revealing the hole where his left eye should have been. '_I wonder…,' _he pondered to himself. Another roll of thunder came down. He stared back at the girl. Glancing to the back of her head, blood began to trickle down the side of her neck; obviously coming from the head wound she had just received. He mused at the incongruity of it.

"Oh dear…well this certainly took a turn for the worse. Oh well~," he lightly whispered. '_Such a nuisance…,' _he mused.

"**XERXES! **_**XERXES!**_" shouted Reim from behind. Break raised his eyebrow and turned his head. Reim was running down the path alongside of the meadow above him. He then jumped and slid down the wet mound, heading straight in Break's direction. He nearly tripped as he rushed towards him. Break then slightly turned his body around, revealing the girl against the tree. Reim halted to a stop; his expression turned bleak as he gazed at her.

"_Good God…what happened?_" he pried; warily walking over to them.

"Well it has a rather easy explanation really. She fell~," Break smiled, looking down at the girl. Reim frowned at the response.

"What _really_ happened?" he asked again, this time more agitated.

"Oh but it's just like I said, I'm telling the truth. All she did was fall down the hill; hit her back against that tree and then once more on her head. I'm not lying~," he pouted innocently. Reim groaned and rolled his eyes.

"_Xerxes_ _this is serious, is she alright? How did she fall? And why are you he—,_"

"And all your questions will be answered as soon as we head back to the manor, Mr. Reim," stopped Break; cutting him off. "Although it would be nice to just sit down and ask questions I'm afraid we can't. As you can see this girl is in need of a doctor and if we sit here and dawdle, her condition will worsen. And we wouldn't want that now would we~?" Reim shot a glance to the backside of the girl's head. Anxiety sketched in his face as he saw her blood seep into her clothes.

"N-no...no we wouldn't," he stuttered guilty. Break's smile widened.

"Exactly, now with that aside, we should be heading back," he announced, glancing down at the , he slipped his arms around her, gently lifting her off of the ground. Though he was thankful she wasn't kicking or screaming this time. He smiled to himself. _This has certainly been quite a night. _He reflected to himself. Reim reluctantly stepped back towards the hill. Break then tighten his hold on the girl's body. He stared at her face, smirking. '_I wonder how the rest is going to fold out…,' _he mused curiously.

* * *

**{A/N}: Welp there you have it. Revised and re edited. :) Hope it sounds better at least. **


	8. Cut Off

**{A/N}:**** I'd like to thank Talye Kendrin and Brittany for reviewing on the last chapter thnx:P. Please review and enjoy:). P.S, I've made some minor changes in the previous chapters. For example, the year now is 1879! Not 1874, the reason why I changed this was because of the telephone I saw in one of the chapters. And telephones were made in 1876:)!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Cut Off} ~_

* * *

My eyes creped open with an indistinct feeling of dread; but as my eyes adjusted lighting; all I could really feel was the slight numbness in my body. Carefully, I began to look around. Just as I was about to get up, I heard voices; coming from the opposite side of the room. The door leading out was closed, evidently hiding whoever was on the other side. It took awhile to actually understand what they were saying but eventually I got around to it. I ceased all movement and stilled my breathing; allowing me to hear exactly what they were saying.

"_Do you think she's awake?_"a voice whispered.

"_Should we go see?_" another chimed in.

"_Hush you two! Don't you realize how loud you're being?_"I recognized that voice. It was Beatrice, chastising whoever else was there with her. The other voices immediately quieted down.

"_Honestly, the poor girl is resting and here you are blabbering away as if that didn't matter!_"she scolded.

"_But miss Beatrice, it's already been four hours! Don't you think that we should at least go in and at least check on her?_"The other voices began build up.

"_Calm yourselves; we'll go in and check on her first thing in the morning,_"she assured. Somehow I couldn't help but suspect if the other two voices were those of the maids I had run into earlier. I cringed shamefully at the memory.

"_Poor baby, I heard she took quite a beatin' from tumblin' down that hill,_"

"_Did you see her injuries? Jethro said that she must've broken at least two of her ribs!_"

"_Oh dear, how awful!_" From there,it sounded like two other voices had joined into the conversation. '_Injuries…?'_ I questioned. Glancing down at myself, I couldn't see anything, but when I lifted the covers off of me, I understood. My entire abdomen was covered in bandages. Taking my eyes off of my body, I also noticed that my hands were bandaged as well. Then it all came back to me. The storm, the fall down the hill, the strange man...I reached to rub the back of my head, which was also bandaged.

"_Well she happens ta be very lucky, if Xerxes hadn't followed her, things could've turned out much worse,_"said another voice in what sounded like a Cajun accent.

"Followed? _I'd say more like stalked,_" one joked.

"_I'll say,_" the added.

"Re**gard**less of anythin', thank the Lord he was there! Heaven knows that child can be a bit strange when it comes ta people but it was his oddness that helped this time. I think he deserves a lil' bit more praise than y'all are givin' em'_,_"the Cajun voice scolded.

"She speaks with reason. So I suggest you lot stop you're gossiping and drop the matter_,_" added in Beatrice.

"_I suppose you're right, but it still leaves the question of how she ended up unconscious. Falling down a hill couldn't possibly have that much of an impact and Xerxes did say that she hit her head for last…I wonder what happened?_"

"I'll bet perhaps she tried to runaway from him and ended up knocking herself out in the process," one laughed.

"You think so?" another asked.

"I wouldn't doubt that," another added.

"_**That is enough! **_All of you, return to your rooms! Why, never in my years have I ever been appalled by such behavior and words! You lot should be ashamed of yourselves! You'd best be grateful that I don't add on more chores to your work! Now go, off with you!"reprimanded Beatrice. I could hear the group of women quickly disperse, their footsteps scattering in all directions. I pressed my back tiredly against the wall behind to me.

"_Oooh_, _I ought ta strangle them!_ Don't they have better things ta talk about?" exasperated the Cajun woman from before.

"Leave them be Chloe, though believe me; we share the same fancy,"

"Honestly, a bunch of old ninnies, that's what they are! But…still…I also heard that you were there when they returned. I-If you don't mind me askin', what really happened?" the woman then asked her. My body tensed at the question, I didn't know what happened after I passed out. Beatrice let out a breath of exhaustion.

"Well...it had already been an hour since the girl had disappeared and both the Lady and Nigel were beginning to worry. I tried my best to relieve them by having a few of the house staff looking for her along with Reim," she started. "Then, after some time, someone had said that she had a run in with Annie and Rachael, heading towards the main staircase, and from there, people were searching all over the property. Another hour had gone by while I and a few of the others waited anxiously inside the main foyer, and as if things couldn't get anymore worse, her brother was also getting restless. I was completely strained! Almost to the point of having _myself_ go out and look for her!" I narrowed my eyes in remorse; pressing further down against the wall.

"My, what happened then?" the Cajun woman prodded. After a few moments of silence, Beatrice resumed telling the story.

"Well, it had appeared like something terrible had happened to the girl! With already two hours in the making, you would've thought that she might've been lost or worse! I mean honestly; where would she have gone? She barely even _knew _the area!" exclaimed Beatrice. "Then, just before I was about to give up, I see Reim and Xerxes walking along the carriageway; Xerxes had the girl in his arms," I anxiously clenched the blankets that were pulled up in front of my knees.

"_What did you do?_"

"Good God Chloe, it all happened so quickly," said Beatrice. "I didn't waste a second rushing over to them…,"

* * *

**_~Flashback:_**

* * *

_Immediately after she had spotted them coming up the road, Beatrice gathered her skirts and hurried out the doors. Not paying any mind to the storm, she hastened her pace as she rushed over to them. Close up, she could already see the blood dripping down onto the soiled ground. Her eyes widened in horror. _

"_Oh no…!" she managed to gasp, cupping her mouth._

"_Well, well miss Beatrice, aren't you looking lovely this evening. Although I must say, running out into the rain like that was certainly very unlady like if I should say so myself~," chided Break. Reim groaned in annoyance. _

"_How dare you insult me at a time like this Xerxes! Now is not the time to play games!" she shrieked. _

"_Whoever said I was playing games~," _

"_Well I never!? How could you just stand there and act as if nothing is wrong? Why I ought to-!" _

"_My, my; is it just me or are we all seeming to forget something rather important here?" he interrupted. Beatrice closed her mouth and stepped back. Break's smile vaguely altered into a straight line; his red gazing somewhat seriously at her. _

"_If I recall correctly, this girl is in need of medical attention. So, unless you would like to continue seeing more of her blood soak its way into my sleeve, I suggest you stop whining and convene for help. Is that alright, miss Beatrice?" he added, easing his tone. Beatrice slowly looked down at the girl then back at him; his gaze still locked on her. She then swallowed the small lump in her throat and nodded. _

"_O-of course…," she whispered. Break's smile then returned to full crescent. One of the maids had rushed out to meet them. Beatrice hastily turned to face her. _

"_R-Rachael quickly, run over to the fields and find Jethro. As soon as you find him, tell him to come post-haste; it's an emergency," she ordered. "Yes ma'am!" the maid nodded, running to her destination. Beatrice then looked back down to the girl. Her expression had faintly contorted in pain; the moisten blood glistened upon her forehead. She frowned worriedly as she made a step towards her. _

"_Clarise!" hollered Aaron from behind them. Unable to make out what was going on, he started to rush over to where they were. Just as he was beginning to reach them, relief began to wash over him as their figures came into view, but when he arrived, the relief was then replaced by sudden surprise and uproar. He stood there, glowering at the man holding his sister in his arms. _

"_What the hell did you do to her?" he growled. "Aaron!" yelled Beatrice. Break laughed._

"_Aha, ha; how rude, accusing me when I've done nothing but help. Evidently it would seem that you're lacking manners~," _

"_Xerxes!" scolded Reim. Both Beatrice and Reim had made moves to try and step in front of the two men, though their actions were ignored. _

"_Excuse me?__"Aaron pried._

"_Oh, I was not clear? Terribly sorry, although I really don't enjoy repeating myself; how about this, let's just say that you understood like the good boy you are and moved aside~", Break smiled._

"_What was that!?"Aaron fumed._

"_Oh my, so he's stupid and has quite the temper! How utterly droll~," Break teased._

"_That's it!" Aaron then made a move forward to punch him, but before he could, he was immediately stopped by a gloved hand placed upon his shoulder from behind him. When he turned around to face whoever it was, he was confronted by an elderly man barely around his height. He wore a laborers' uniform and a wide-brim straw hat that hung steadily against the back of his neck; his tired-looking eyes staring straight into his. _

"_Now, now, no need for violence. I know that Break here can be a bit of a wiseass sometimes but, there's no need to punch him in the face for that. Even if it's tempting," the man assured as he turned his gaze onto Break. "Besides, your sister needs our attention most right now," Aaron hesitated at first but then calmed down. _

"_Thank goodness for you Jethro," sighed Beatrice, relieved. _

"_Glad to be of some use. Now I'm pretty sure a room's already been readied inside so I suggest we get moving," he paused briefly, nodding over in Break's direction. "Shall we?" he asked warily. Break only shot a brief half-smile in reply. _

"_Gladly…,"_

* * *

**_~End Flashback:_**

* * *

"_Oh dear…,"_ whispered the woman. I sighed in relief as soon as I heard her finish.

"I swear, if Jethro hadn't arrived, I don't know what would've happened!" breathed Beatrice. "I mean just imagine, what would've happened!"

"Oh now I don't think Xerxes would do something that reckless," the woman reassured.

"Perhaps so, but believe me when I say this; you never know with Xerxes. At times he can be very composed, and at other times…," Beatrice trailed off.

"Y-yea, I-I understand…but then…what happened afta'?" the woman pressed.

"Well it's just as you've seen; we brought in her in here soon after,"

"Did Xerxes and the others stay with her?"

"Tell me for what reason would _Xerxes_ have to stay? He left before Jethro could even examine her and well…in spite of the circumstances, Nigel and the Lady couldn't stay for very long. So no," she breathed. That got to me. '_They…left?' _

"Around what time did they leave?" the woman asked.

"It was around the time that Jethro had already bandaged up most of the injuries. Although Nigel had wanted to stay a little longer, there wasn't much time. They left long before Jethro could announce that she would be alright," I felt myself slink further down against the wall, too shocked to do anything else.

"That's awful," the woman pitied.

"Indeed...but, you know how it is with their obligations in Pandora…they needed to leave immediately. They had no other choice...,"

"Oh dear, the poor thing…a-and what about her brother? Did he talk ta Nigel? How did he handle it?"

"The two of them didn't even speak; not one word to each other," she answered irritably. I shook my head in grief, shutting my eyes.

"So, I suppose that there'll be a lot of changes then huh?" the woman said.

"Well, as soon as the girl has recovered and is accustomed; it will be just like before. Only this time, she's going to have to adapt to being on her own from now on," replied Beatrice. My eyes snapped back open, worried.

"_On her own?_" the woman exclaimed.

"It has already been decided that, she will work as one of the house maids. Aaron, on the other hand, will be assigned as the new stablehand, out in the fields. As the rules stand, household servants are strictly to remain indoors, not intermingling with the laborer's," She explained, hesitantly.

"Must you really separate them?" the woman asked.

"I don't have another choice. We don't have any more room for him here and Jethro is need of more laborers,"

"My…I hope things turn out alright. _Poor darlin'_," the woman pitied.

"I pray for it, indeed I do," said Beatrice. The rest turned into nonentity as I heard them walk away. Now only silence was left. Pulling my knees closer to my chest, I embraced them with the upmost uneasiness. I stared blankly ahead into the ceiling above me, now realizing that I felt completely cut off from everything else. The candle upon the table flickered weakly beside me.

* * *

Break was becoming restless, drumming his fingers upon the hardened redwood of his desk. He was now 'officially' unable to concentrate on his work; he simply sat in his chair staring down at the pile of unfinished toil. '_Well this is rather unpleasant, and here I thought I was actually going to get some_ _work done,' _he wanting to continue on staring into oblivion, he straightened himself up in his chair and brushed away some of the loose locks from his face. He frowned jadedly as he turned to stare out into the veranda. '_What a nuisance…,'_

Brushing back his hair, he glanced up to the clock next to him. It was already two in the morning**. '**_Figures, well, if I'm not going to get any work done, then I might as well unwind and have a cup of tea and some sweets,' _he then stood up from his chair and walked over to the doors. As he cautiously stepped out, he then closed the doors as quietly as he could. Once making sure that the hallway was clear, he hurried down and made his way towards the kitchen.

888

After pouring the mildly warm liquid into the chinaware, Break set down the teapot and began to drink; he sighed wearily as he finished. Then, from out of the silence, he heard what appeared to be someone shuffling outside, walking carefully up to the kitchen door. At first he was slightly confused as to whom it could be, but when he realized who it was, he smiled. Break subsequently took out another teacup from the cabinet above him and set it down upon the counter. He then causally leaned against the counter, grabbing the sides with his hands and waited for his guest to arrive. Just as expected, Reim hurried inside the doorway; not even bothering to check if the coast was clear. Without haste, he locked the door. Thinking that he was alone, he calmly then turned to the counter. Break kindly waved his hand.

"_Having trouble sleeping~?_" he ribbed. Reim scowled irritably. "Oh just shut up and prepare me some tea," he growled. Break smirk grew wider as he grabbed the extra teacup and poured the tea into it. He then passed it on to Reim.

"So, is there a particular reason why _you're_ here? Did _you_ have any trouble sleeping?" grumbled Reim; sipping his tea.

"Sleeping no, finishing up on my paperwork, perhaps~," replied Break. Reim flinched, astonished. "Y-you were doing work? _You?_"

"Oh don't act so surprised. I was bored so decided to take a look at it. I'm almost done you know," defended Break, grabbing his cup. Reim eyed him with upmost suspicion. Break caught his gaze and frowned, annoyed. "What_?_" Reim warily raised his head, eyeing him.

"Something's bothering you…," said Reim. Break rolled his eye; almost slamming his cup on the table. "Well that's interesting. What, is it really that _shocking_ that I, for one, _did_ my work?"

"_YES! YES IT IS__!_" Reim hissed. "Only when you're troubled by something is when you _work_. So, what happened?" he pried accusingly. "Nothing is bothering me so could you please just drop it?" Reim cast his gaze down onto the floor. Then after a moment of silence, he mumbled. "…is it about the girl?"

"Is _that_ your reason for being here?" countered Break. Reim gawked; he was about to protest but he knew that he couldn't deny it. "Well, _yes_…,"

"_Hmph,_ I suspected as much," Break smirked.

"But Xerxes honestly, how could you not feel the least bit worried for her. She suffered multiple injuries to her body in such a short amount of time!" exasperated Reim. "I mean good God; it was by a mere chance of luck that you found her in time!"

"It wasn't _luck_ that helped me. I also didn't happen to find her by chance; I _saw _her run out," Break grumbled. "Then wait; so that means you were with her?"

"Following her to be more precise~,"

"_Then why didn't you stop her!_"

"Well I couldn't just_ stop_ her. Besides, I was a bit too late by the time that she fell so technically_**—**__eh_,"

"_Oh my God!_ You're_ impracticable!" _Reim exclaimed_._

"Well it wasn't my fault that it happened. Besides, being impracticable _is_ one of my best qualities," he joked. He continued to drink his tea evenly without worry. Reim's brow twitched with animosity.

"So, were you looking for her the entire time?" asked Break, bringing Reim back from his thoughts. He then cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses.

"Well, yes actually. You see, we were discussing about the new arrangements regarding Nigel working under Lady Sheryl, and when we told them about it, well, she grew upset and ran away. Lady Sheryl asked for me to find her and bring her back," he hesitated before saying anything else. "I…I understand that this might've been both frightening and frustrating for her but, I just…didn't expect it to go this far," he breathed guiltily. Break grinned triumphantly. "So my assumptions were correct. She _did_ try to run away,"

"And just what were you doing following her in the first place?" pried Reim. "Well I was actually going back to the room when I saw her crash into poor Annie in the hallway. When she didn't apologize, I became interested and decided to follow her. That was where it pretty much led to,"

"Oh well that makes perfect sense; you became '_interested_' in her?"

"Well I didn't have much of a choice, I was bored and one doesn't just run into another and _not_ apologize unless they had a reason not to," Break sighed. Staring down into his cup, he started to swish the remaining contents around. "And I suppose she had one…,"

Reim groaned and rubbed the back of his head. "Indeed you are horrid Xerxes. And speaking of horrid, you still haven't answered my question from before," Break raised his cup to his mouth. "What question?"

"_You know damn well what I'm talking about!_" he indicted.

"Oh you mean the boy from earlier? The girl's '_brother_', right?"

"_Are you insane!? Were you honestly going to fight him!__?_" Break, ignoring his outburst, calmly gave smiled. "Oh yes, because I'm _such_ a bully~," Break mused sarcastically, though Reim seemed to take it to heart. Noticing this, Break sucked his teeth and set down his cup. "No you idiot, of _course_ I wasn't going to fight him,"

"_Then why did you provoke him?_"

"What, I thought it would be amusing, didn't you?"

"_No! I did not!_" Break rolled his eye and looked away. "Well I certainly did, and to be quite honest, I almost wanted the boy to take a swing at me," he grinned, taking in another sip. "It would've been the highlight of the evening," Reim frowned, very appalled by Break's response. "My God…you really _are_ horrid,"

"Oh now I wouldn't say that I'm horrid Reim; I'm just…_impolite_," he smiled. Reim groaned and took out his pocket watch. "Whatever…it's getting late, I should be heading back. Tomorrow I have to go over to the cathedral in Reveil; Harris said that he might have information regarding the recent murders that have been going on around," Break raised an eyebrow. "_Harris?_ You don't mean your brother now do you? How could _he_ have information regarding that…he's a _priest_,"

"Xerxes, just because he's a '_priest_' doesn't mean he's only limited to the church. You know, people often come to confess to him so I wouldn't be surprised if something slipped," defended Reim.

"But that's exactly my point. A priest isn't allowed to disclose a person's confession. It's against their sacramental seal," he told Reim.

"Well he must've heard something! I'll just ask him tomorrow," he retorted. After putting his cup in the basin, Reim began to walk out. "Lock up when you're done," he ordered; closing the door quietly. Break chuckled lightly to himself and then dumped the leftover contents of his cup into the basin.

888

As he entered his room, he went straight over to his closet and changed into his usual clothing. After turning off all lights, he then stepped out onto the veranda. The moon and stars were almost snuffed out by the darkness. '_Perfect.' _Break thought_._ He then jumped up on the cement barrack, standing on it. '_Well, I obviously can't have that priest beating me at my own game. If he already has information, I might as well do some research of my own_. _Also…it should help me take my mind off of things…'_ He smirked subtly. Taking one last look out into the open, he jumped down and disappeared into the night.

* * *

**{A/N}:****Well, there you go:) And also regarding changes, they are not at all major but they are still changes nonetheless. They are in pretty much all the chapters so look for those if you're curious. And about Harris, that is actually the author's character. Although he isn't in the manga, she did make an omake or short story about him. So he does belong to the author. And yes reviews would be nice:).**


	9. Introductions

**{A/N}:**** Please review and enjoy:) P.S, thank you all for those who reviewed. Y'all. Are. AWESOME! XD.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Introductions} ~_

* * *

"Murders…?"

Gilbert sucked on his cigarette and blew out, letting the smoke permeate through the air above him. "Yea, apparently there've been recent ones, going along the provinces heading towards London," he explained. I timidly glanced down at my lap.

"_Heh_, well that isn't good," I shrugged, smiling. Gilbert grimaced. "_Jeez_, shouldn't you sound a bit more concerned? This is serious," he scolded. I laughed quietly. "Well, sensing that we were forced to come to Pandora in the first place _this_ late at night, I kinda wanted to _not_ take it very seriously. But yea, yea I know, '_duty calls' _and what not. Plus, it's not like I don't care," I then leaned forward up against the open window, resting my chin in the palm of my hand. "It's just that the news bores me is all," The carriage jolted off to the side as we made a turn, causing Alice to slip onto the seat. She was still sound asleep.

"Well regardless of whether you care or not, it's important. So at least _try_ to listen to the summation, ok?" I rolled my eyes. "Yea, yea I'll _try_," Gilbert breathed out and pressed his back against the seat.

"Well, as you know, there have been reports of unexplained murders that have been committed along the outer rim of Reveil. They've been going on for awhile now, almost three months to be exact," he explained; I somewhat perked up, pulling myself out the window. "_Three months_? Well that is strange; but don't you think the Yard would've taken care of it by now?" Gilbert took in another drag of the cigarette. This time, he blew out towards the window. "Well that's the thing: they _would_ have taken care of it if it was just a normal case. However, up until recently; at the time, it didn't seem to be relevant, or at least, related to the Abyss in anyway…," I raised an eyebrow. "_The Abyss?_"

Gilbert nodded his head. "So, I'm assuming a chain is behind all this then?" I asked. "You assumed correct. That and of course, the way the murders were carried out,"

"How are they being carried out?" Gilbert scrunched in his eyebrows in slight disgust. Throwing the cigarette out the window he then folded his arms across his chest; glaring at the floor.

"You'll get to see the pictures once we get there but, from what I've seen; they're too grotesque to be committed by any normal psychopath; let alone one without a chain," he breathed. "So judging by the evidence: the contractor's obviously gone insane and is now out on a killing spree,"

"And that's why Pandora has taken the case?" asked Oz.

"Exactly,"

* * *

I felt so numb; it was like a huge hole had been punched through my chest...my entire body was heavy with a bleak recognition of incoming pain: I was literally cut off. What was I going to do? With Nigel gone and Aaron and I not able to see each other, everything was falling out of place; and by realizing that, I felt…empty. It terrified me; so much to the point that I just wanted to go away; far away from this place. My eyes cringed, trying to stop the tears that were forming. Although it seemed pointless, there was nothing else I could do. With sleep quickly closing in, I started to drift, but before I could close my eyes, I was stopped by the sound of footsteps, heading towards me. I wearily looked up, only to see stray locks of hair shadow over my face. The footsteps were coming from behind the door. When it opened, a woman wearing a pale yellow dress and a crème-colored bandanna had entered. Carrying a laundry basin on her hip, she struggled quietly to close the door behind her. Everything seemed to be normal except, that is, until I saw the color of her skin. As I expected, she was a Negro.

"_Oh!_ …goodness child! You startled me! I-I didn't realize you was awake!" she gasped; dropping the basin onto the floor. She then grabbed onto the table beside her and clutched her chest. "But thank goodness…I was actually beginnin' ta worry," she smiled. I blinked at her a couple of times; too stunned to respond. "N-now, you must be hungry. Well, don't chu worry, I'ma go inta the kitchen and fix you somethin' ta eat, can't have ya starvin' now can I?" she said as she bent down to pick up the clothing. I hadn't moved an inch since last night. I had fallen asleep in the same position I was in while listening to the maid's voices. This woman had to be the one named '_Chloe_'.

"Now you just stay put! I'll be right back!" With that, she then picked up the basin and rushed out the door. I must've looked like the living-dead. Staring down at myself, I could see that I was pale; almost the color of my sheets. Leaning further back up against the wall, I brushed the hair from my face, wanting to see the room more clearly. Then, from out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something glimmering upon the table in front me. As I leaned forward to get a closer look at it, I found that it was just my locket. I slowly got down from the bed and wobbled over to it. Looking it over, I then picked it up and held it gently within my hands; my fingers traced the outline of its design.

I was about to head back to bed when suddenly a dull rattling sound came from behind me. Still clutching the locket, I slowly turned my head to see what it was. A simple cupboard stood beside the empty wall right in front of me. Whatever the noise was, I knew that it had come from inside that cupboard. Cautiously, I began to walk over. Even though I was only a few feet away, my legs still had trouble finding their balance. Finally after all the stumbling, I managed to reach the cupboard; but just as I was about to grab the handles, my entire body froze; trembling with a sudden anxiety. I couldn't explain why but, something about opening the doors gave me the feeling of dread. '_It just doesn't…feel right,' _I , I shut my eyes and clenched my hands. '_C'mon now, it's a cupboard, not a door to the abyss. Something must've fallen inside, there's no way anything could be in there,'_ I figured, and with that, I opened the doors.

"_Why hello there~!_"

Just as I had opened the doors, the man from the night before suddenly popped out. Still wearing the same clothes, same grin and the same doll on his shoulder, he extended his arms out of the small cupboard in delight. In response, I let out a scream and began to back away. Unfortunately, I didn't notice where I was stepping and fell back. I mentally grimaced. With this, I thought for sure I was going to end up unconscious again. I closed my eyes and braced for impact when suddenly, I felt a jolt; only seconds away before my head could make contact with the wooden floor. "_My, my; you really are a klutz,_" I frightenly creped open my eyes and turned around. Leaning out slightly, the man had reached out and grabbed my hand.

"_You're just prone to accidents aren't you~?"_The man snickered. Then, with a strong tug, he pulled my entire body right to him, landing roughly in his chest. He then stood up from where he was sitting and pulled me straight up with his arms. "Although this is strange; Nigel had described you as a strong and able young woman," He smiled cheerfully down at me. "_And yet all I see is a weedy and graceless little girl~_,"

"_**Kekeke~, talk about graceless! 'Little Miss Twinkle Toes' nearly fell to her death!" **_chortled the little doll. "Now Emily, give the poor thing a break. After all it isn't entirely her fault," the man teased. Insulted, I tried to push myself off of him.

"_L-let go of me!_" I seethed. Though the harder I tried to push, the tighter he held on to me. "Now, now let's not start that again. If I let go of you, I'm afraid you'll only end up falling back down again,"

"No I won't, just please _let me go!_" Then, all movement ceased. He raised his brow in suspicion, easing his grip. "I can take care of myself," I grumbled. It took him awhile but he eventually let go of me. Finally out of his grasp, I started to walk back to the bed; though I soon found that, that wouldn't be as easy as I had expected. Almost immediately I began to stumble, much more than the last time. Before I could even take the second step, the man caught me by the waist. "_Hmm_, I wouldn't quite count on that if I were you," he chuckled.

"Shut up, I just need help getting back to the bed is all," I scowled angrily.

"Well, since the bed is way over there, I'm really not looking forward to catching you every time you trip up. Although it would be entertaining to watch you fail, I suppose I'll be a gentleman instead, so to make things easier~," he then slipped his arm behind my legs and lifted me off of the ground. I wanted to object but had he moved so quickly that I didn't have time to react. It made me feel lightheaded and uneasy. "N-no please, put me down," I begged, though it seemed he didn't hear me.

"Oh dear, this was not how I wanted to spend my Sunday morning…" he muttered to himself. I was beginning to feel worse when the door opened. The woman had returned, this time holding a silver tray with two plates and a glass. "I'm baaack~, now I hope I didn't make ya wait too lo_-oooh my goodness!_" She gasped in surprise, dropping the tray onto the ground. The man turned around to face her.

"_Why miss Chloe, I didn't know you were working at this hour! How are you doing this fine morning~?_" he asked cheerily. The woman stood back against the door, gasping for breath.

"M-my God Xerxes…you could've givin' me a heart attack! H-how on earth did ya get in here and _what in God's name_ _are you doin' with that child?!_" she exclaimed.

"Well the answers to your questions are quite simple really—,"

"No, no wait. I'ma stop you right there," she interrupted.

"So, you don't want to know how I got here?" he asked.

"I think I have a pretty good idea of _how _you got here. Now, exactly how did _**she**_ wind up out of her bed I want ta know," she folded her arms across her chest.

"_**Oh well that's simple; when we came out of this here cupboard, this twit happened to be in the middle of the way! Because of that, she lost her balance and was about to fall right on the floor! Lucky for her though, we saved her life, right in the nick of time!"**_ piped the doll.

"Why thank you Emily~,"

"_P-please…put me down…,"_ I pleaded; almost in a whisper. Both of them then focused their attention on me. Something was definitely wrong.

"Hold on a minute," said the woman; running towards us. She placed a hand over my forehead. Her hand felt so cool against my skin.

"Dear God she's burning up, come, put her down," she then said. Without hesitating, he set down on the bed. As soon as I felt that his arms were off me, I calmed down.

"I knew this was gonna happen. She stayed too long in the rain," I heard her mutter. "Xerxes go and fetch Jethro and tell him to hurry!" she ordered him. My vision was beginning to blur, muddling everything. Though I couldn't see him, I heard his footsteps turn around and walk out.

"Oh honey stay with me ok?" the woman urged, caressing my face in a hurried fashion. Though I wanted to stay awake, I just couldn't.

* * *

Sharon paced down the hallway as quickly as she could; looking inside each room in sight. Though no matter how many times she looked, she had no luck finding Break. Reluctantly, she began to give up. '_Oh dear, this certainly isn't what I'd had expected. Just where on earth could he possibly be?_' She pouted worriedly.

"You're looking for him too aren't you?" asked a familiar voice. Immediately, she turned around. It was only Michael; her dearest friend and one of the Rainsworth's advisors. He was causally leaning against the door frame of the room.

"Michael…?" Sharon called out. The adolescent sluggishly walked towards her. "Break has been giving me the run around since this morning," he muttered irritably.

"It would appear that he's nowhere in sight," breathed Sharon. Michael sighed in disappoint as he held his head down. "Tell me about it,"

"Though I was also looking for Mr. Reim as well, by any chance you haven't seen him around, have you?" Sharon asked him.

"Nope, I actually haven't. Count to think of it, I haven't seen any of the head officers around all moring. Not ever since they took on the new case. They've all been pretty busy with it since then," he answered. This interested Sharon. "Michael, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that particular case, would you?"

"_Naw_, I wish. I'm just as much kept in the dark about it as you are. Sorry," he rubbed his head contritely. "Oh no, it's alright. Don't worry though, once we see Break or Reim, we will_ demand_ that they inform us," she assured him. "Yea, that is if they really want to," he said, doubtful. Sadden; Sharon then twisted the other way, looking further down into the hallway. She took in a deep breath and then exhaled; anxiously waiting for someone's arrival.

* * *

When I awoke, I found that Chloe had remained at my side. She had been trying to alleviate my fever with a damp cloth. She smiled tenderly when she saw that I was awake.

"Well hello there sweet pea. How do you feel?" she asked me. I stared at her for a few moments before replying. "I feel as if I got hit…by a train," I croaked. All of my injuries were sorely aching as I shifted about the bed. "I see, well you just take it easy then. I'll take good care of you," she then assured me, still smiling. I wanted to smile back though I could not find the strength to. Worried, the woman then placed her hand upon my forehead once more. "_Hm_, your fever is goin' down but not as fast I had hoped," she muttered, presoaking the cloth in bowel next to her. I felt utterly helpless as she continued to look after me. Although I didn't feel as bad as before, I still felt tired. As I started to close my eyes, I began to go through my thoughts. The last thing that I saw before falling asleep was Abigail and Nathan's carefree faces, of how our life used to be, and before everything changed.

* * *

"_Welp_, can't say I really like this place, but at least it smells like home," breathed Aaron as he folded his arms behind his back. He gazed out into the fields that stood out perfectly in his view. The sounds of cattle and men hollering out to each other echoed throughout the simple pasture. "_Yup_, just like home," he mused sarcastically.

"_Don't worry, you'll get used to it,_" piped out voice from inside the stables. Aaron lazily turned his head around to see who had just spoken. A boy with light blonde hair and blue eyes stood there grooming one of the horses. He wore dark brown working overalls and a vest covering a long-sleeved, buttoned white shirt underneath. Although, it appeared that he was tired and muddied from the morning's labor, he had a joyful air to him. Aaron raised an eyebrow and fully turned around to face him. The boy noticed this and turned around as well, still having one hand to the horse. "It takes awhile but I'm sure you'll get accustomed," he smiled. Aaron returned the kind gesture. "Oh no yea, I'm sure I will. It's just that…," he then turned back around to stare at the field. "…I feel a might bit homesick that's all," The boy nodded in understanding. "Yea sometimes I feel that way too, but then, if I think about the new opportunities that lie ahead, and what accomplishments I can achieve from where I'm standing, I don't feel that way anymore," he reassured.

"Well don't chu' sound confident. You know, yer the first person to even _talk_ to me like that," The boy looked up in confusion but then laughed merrily. "Oh well, yea, sorry, I tend get carried away with advice sometimes, but that's just me," he admitted, rubbing his head in guilt.

"Well to be honest, yer the only person that's talked to me the whole time I've been here. Do the other's not like me or somethin'?" he sniggered arrogantly. "Oh no it's not that. It just that everyone's been kinda busy lately. Don't worry though; I'm sure you'll talk to them soon,"

"_Shoo_, and here we are talkin' about stuff without even knowin' each other's names. I'm Aaron Dawson, I'm the new—,"

"Stable hand? Yea I know, just about everybody here knows about you," Aaron continued to snigger. "Well I'll be, at least there I have some groundwork for a reputation, and you are?"

"One of the new boys as well," he said, holding out his hand. "Name's Frederich,"

* * *

**{A/N}: ****And there you have it! I hoped you didn't mind me adding the new characters inside, but like I've always said before, each and everything that I write on here has a purpose, such as the ending to the chapter, that definitely has a purpose^^. Trust me people; **_**I will never lead you astray!**_** You can count on it! Now with that being said, I would actually like to ask you a question regarding place names, things, and character names. It has actually been made clear by the English translated version of Pandora Hearts Vol.2 that the town '**_**Leveille**_**' is actually pronounced '**_**Reveil**_**' and the contractor's seal is called an 'incuse'. There are more examples of other things but that's just to give you the main idea. Tell me whether I should continue with the way things are or change it. I actually really don't care but if you do then so be it. Please feel free to leave your answer and any questions you may have about the new characters on the review. But also please review:) **


	10. Unusual

**{A/N}:** **I completely changed this chapter, a few more changes will come so please bare with me a little bit longer. Update will soon come.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Unusual} ~_

* * *

I awoke to the sound of a fire flickering in the nearby distance. When I glanced to my side, I saw that the room had changed. "I guess they moved me?" I muttered as I began to get up. Luckily I wasn't feeling dizzy or anything, so I got up from the bed with little to no trouble. The fire that I heard from before was coming from the fireplace next to the bed. Although it didn't appear as if I was in the servant's quarters, the room wasn't quite so elegant to be considered a room of the manor. Either way, it mattered not to me. Being stuck inside a house for this long was beginning to take its toll on my physique, and after everything that has happened, I needed the fresh air, so after finding my locket yet again upon some table, I placed it around my neck and began to leave. I was about to reach the door when something shifted around the corner of my eye. Frightened, I quickly stepped back from whatever it was, though as I looked closer, I saw that it was only Chloe, fast asleep in a chair. I let out a sigh of relief as I realized it was her. Not wanting to wake her, I proceeded to quietly exit out of the room.

When I stepped out, only the light from outside was able to illuminate what was to be the hallway. A door lay at the very end of the corridor, appearing to lead outside. Without wasting another minute I carefully walked towards it. When I finally reached the door, I looked down at my feet. I had noticed that I didn't put any shoes on. I thought about going back to retrieve them, but then I decided against it due to the fear of waking up Chloe in the process. As much as I didn't mind her, I certainly did not want any obstacles in the way of getting what I currently wanted. Taking in one last breath, I exhaled and turned the doorknob. A rush of cool air met my face and body, causing my skin to tingle with delight. I took one step out onto the ground; the soil and grass crinkled beneath my feet. Looking around, I realized that I was in a maze garden. Long, tall floral hedges encircled the entire courtyard. _'Perfect,'_ I thought as I smiled to myself. Closing the door behind me, I began to walk out, letting the atmosphere clear my head.

* * *

Sharon warily checked her surroundings before continuing to make her way towards the garden. Although it remained unknown to everyone else, it was evident that the young heiress was sneaking off in the middle of the night. To do what exactly could only be determined by her. She clutched her makeshift weapon tightly in her hands; tonight was the night, the night that she would master the basics of swordsmanship. Determined and ready, she gathered her courage and headed towards her usual spot.

Once she arrived, she immediately commenced with her form of training. Although she didn't quite know exactly what she was suppose to do, she tried her best to improve on her limited skills. Yet to her, it still wasn't good enough. It didn't take long until she eventually wore herself out from all the work. Exhausted, she sat down on the marble white bench beside her, wiping the sweat off her brow with a handkerchief she brought from her room. _'Oh…at this rate, I'll never be able to get it,'_ she distressed. She still had her blade in hand. Staring down at it, she lifted it up to where she could fully see it. Letting out a sigh, she quickly got hold of her second wind. _'But I can't give up! I have to keep trying!'_ she dogged, unwavering in her decision. She then stood up once more and got into position; but before she could do anything, she felt Equus's energy shift. Alarmed, she stopped and looked about, cautiously eyeing her surroundings. When she didn't see or hear anything, she tensed in suspicion. She checked on Equus just to make sure nothing was amiss. Once she found that nothing wrong, she relaxed. 'Hm, perhaps it might've been a passing shadow,' she determined. She was about to start again when a voice resonated from behind her.

"You know that your stance is off right?" the voice chuckled, startling the young girl. She whipped her head around along with her blade to face the source of the voice. When she saw who it was, her shoulders slumped in relief. "Oh my God!" she gasped. "Michael…do you realize you could've given me a heart attack," The young man stood there chuckling. "Yea, but I figured it would be funnier to scare you anyway," he laughed. Sharon, on the other hand, was far from amused. "Honestly Michael have you no shame? Equus warned me about another presence nearby; I ought to pummel you for sneaking up behind me like that!" she fumed, dropping her weapon and taking out her famed harisen. Michael then raised his hands in surrender. "Whoa, whoa, princess; there's no need to bring the harisen in this," he assured her. "All I wanted to tell you was that your stance was wrong," Exhausted, Sharon then fell back onto the bench, still recovering from her fright. "Really Michael…you shouldn't scare people like that," she breathed, lowering her harisen.

"_Hmph_, and to think you would be used to it, but did you not hear what I just said though?" he questioned.

"Yes, yes I heard what you said," Sharon answered, gathering her composure. Then, after a minute or so, she got up from the bench and picked up her makeshift blade. "So tell me, what was I doing wrong?" she asked him, getting back into her position. Michael couldn't help but be amazed at her determination; however he quickly reverted back to his normal state of mind and began to walk over to her, catching her gaze. "So you're really serious about this…," he mused. "You know you do realize that once _he_ finds out what you're doing, he'll try to stop you right?" he asked her.

"Michael please, just…tell me what it was that I did wrong?" Sharon continued to pry at him, her voice trembling.

"Well to be honest, you're whole way of going about swordsmanship is wrong, but if you insist," he sighed mockingly. He then proceeded to snatch the blade from her hands and laugh. Content, Sharon smiled. "Alright, although I know you don't know much about swordsmanship yourself, surely you must've picked up something while you were over in Japan, am I right?" she asked.

"Ha, ha; ok first, it was _China_ and second, yea about Chinese swordsmanship, yea…you don't want to learn Chinese swordsmanship," he laughed, causing Sharon to get upset.

Meanwhile, from a window high above them, Xerxes Break watched idly by as the two children began to bicker and play at each other. He took a breath and sighed soon after he saw them laughing.

"Kids huh?" said a voice from behind. Xerxes, not surprised by the voice, jadedly tilted his head. "_Hm?_ Oh…well if it isn't our handyman extraordinaire. You're back earlier than I expected, I take it that your mission went well?" Break greeted.

"Yup, just another trump card; took care of it in less than a minute and came right back," the voice yawned. "Can't imagine somethin' as weak as them can cause a lot trouble for people," it then wondered.

"Chains are chains, no matter how weak they are; they'll always find a way to make our lives difficult," Break then said, still watching the children.

"_Hmph_…right," agreed the voice. "So…how long do you plan on lettin'_ that_ go on?" it then asked, gesturing Sharon and Michael. Down below, Michael was already showing Sharon a few things he knew about stance and balance. Although Michael, unsurprisingly was also wrong, much to Break's amusement, there was something about the scene between the two that made it endearing. His gaze softened as he continued to watch them. "You know…I don't think that is would be all that bad if you gave those two a few lessons," the voice suggested. "Heh, judgin' by how things are goin', they look like they're in dire need of em'!" it teased.

"Stop talking such nonsense Odin," Break then said, silencing the man. "Now tell me, what did you learn for your mission?"

* * *

Not long after I had starting walking, I sat down behind a small hedge, looking up at the night sky. Even though I didn't feel quite as awful like this morning, the fatigue and shortness of breath was slowly starting to pick up again. Pretty soon, I knew I had to go back inside. As much as I didn't want to, I didn't' have much of a choice. As I shifted my torso forward, I felt the familiar stroke of silver graze beside my breast. Amused, I then reached inside my dress and pulled out the locket. I admired it as I held it between my fingers. As I stared at it I couldn't help but feel entranced. Although I could never come up with a reason for it, I always felt a sense of calm whenever I looked at it, like it washed away all of my worries. Smiling weakly, I clutched it tightly against my chest. Deciding that now would be a good time to go back inside; I slowly got back up and began to walk back.

* * *

"Ok so after you make sure your feet and legs and evenly spread apart, you bend your arms and grasp the blade firmly. Just make sure that it is secure in your hands, and you'll be all set!" Michael explained to the young heiress as he used his body as an example.

"And are you sure that is how you do it? I only ask because whenever I witnessed master Oz and Break practicing together, it was completely different from what you're doing," Sharon proclaimed, tilting her head in thought.

"_Oho_, so you doubt me? Ok, I see how it is," the boy mocked as he twirled the blade in his hand. "Well it's not like you know exactly what you're doing! I just want to be sure it's correct is all," Sharon defended.

"Oh, like you know any better? Clearly that's a bold claim coming out of someone who makes a retarded looking sword out of tin foil! What, out of all the decorated armored knights that carry swords in the house, you decide to make one yourself? Really Sharon, really?" Michael jeered as he waved the blade towards her.

"The other swords were too heavy for me to hold, and how is it retarded?! Besides, it's not all made out of tin foil, it has a wooden plank inside so it's not all that bad!" Sharon argued as she tried to snatch the blade from his hand.

"Ooh and that makes it so much better!" Michael sniggered. "Oop, better stop trying to reach for it that way, you look so unladylike right now!" he teased as Sharon desperately tried to grab the blade. "Michael if you don't stop fooling around!" she exclaimed as she stretched her hand out. Luckily however, Michael's bullying was short lived once he heard his shoulder bones crack. Surprised, he flinched with pain as he reached to for the ailing muscle "Ow, ow; ok Sharon that's enough," he winced, backing away from her. Sharon, also shocked, immediately stopped. "Oh my goodness, Michael I'm terribly sorry, are you alright?" she fretted as she watched him. Not wanting for her to worry, he flashed a lopsided grin. "Don't worry it's nothing too bad. It's just that I'm not used to working out the muscles as much anymore," he said. "Are you sure, because we can go back inside and check if you wa-," she was then cut off by Michael's finger, signaling for her to hush.

"Wait, did you hear that just now?" he then whispered. Sharon stood still and began to listen.

* * *

"Really, and that's all you managed to get out of him?" Break pried at the man. Odin took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. After taking in a couple of drags, he spoke. "Like I said, it was only a trump card. If he really was workin' for the main killer we're lookin' for, I seriously doubt I would've finished him off so easily. The poor bastard didn't even have time to somber up before I took him out," he chuckled. Annoyed, Break rolled his eye. "Well if you don't have anything of interest, then please get out of my sight. I have had a rather disappointing day and this is just the cherry that tops it," he grumbled.

"Oh c'mon now you can't be all that upset with me! At least I tried, with what little background you gave me on the prick. I mean Jesus, you can't always expect me to get results," Odin whined.

"No, but I at least expect you to be useful in some way," Break responded as he continued to look over the courtyard.

"_Hmph!_ I think you expect _way_ too much!" Odin huffed. "But...if you're really that irked, I guess the best I could do right now is get Eddie and head down to the local bars in Reveil and see if anyone's heard somethin'? That sound good to you?" he then suggested. Break pondered a bit before turning around to face him. "_Hm_, that all depends if you think you can find something worth looking into," he then said.

"Trust me; where there's booze, there's bound to be loose lips around," Odin smirked. Break couldn't help but smile along with him. "Ha, and I suppose you say that from experience?" he jeered. "Hey, it's happened," Odin defended. "_Hmph_, well, if it's truly the only solution you can come up with, you have permission to go," Break then said as he turned back around. The moment he laid his gaze back onto the courtyard however, something caught his attention. He grimaced as he saw what it was. "What, on earth, is _she_ doing out here?" he said.

"Who, you mean the lil' missy?" asked Odin, thinking he was referring to Sharon. When he came up beside Break however, he quickly saw that, that was not who he meant. "Whoa, what the…isn't that the _new girl?_" he then exclaimed.

* * *

I had tripped over a hidden pot hole on the ground, causing me to fall forward onto my injured leg. I cursed my clumsiness as I reached to soothe it. "Damn it, I have just a little further to go and now is the time my awkwardness decides to show?" I scowled. After grabbing hold of one the hedges, I began to pull myself back up again. _'Just little while more, I'm almost there,'_ I told myself, slowly making my way towards the house.

* * *

"She looks like she still hurt," Odin watched as the young woman struggled to walk. "Don't you think we should go down there and help?" he then asked. Break made no effort to change his expression as he looked on. _'What a stupid girl,'_ he thought as he watched her.

* * *

After a few minutes of silence, Sharon didn't hear anything else. "Perhaps, it was a bird?" she then suggested. Michael, less suspicious, began to relax. "Maybe I guess. I don't know, I thought I heard something," he shrugged. Seeing as how he finally let his guard down, Sharon used the advantage to sneak her hand behind him and take back her weapon. As soon as Michael saw this, his jaw dropped. Triumphant, the young heiress flashed an arrogant grin. "You let your guard down," she stated. Michael, still somewhat surprised, then started into a slow chuckle.

"_Ayyy, mira la, mira la_," he then nodded. "Ha…I guess I really can't underestimate you then princess," he then said.

"Well of course not! Although I may not be as skilled as you are, at the very least I can outsmart you a few times~," she pointed out.

"_Hmph_, I guess so, but if that's the case now that you have your 'sword' back, I'd like very much to see how you would go about that!" he then challenged her. He then calmly sat down on the ground and crossed his legs. "Alright, with the proper stance, I want to see how you move the sword," he told her. Ecstatic, Sharon did not hesitate. "Very well then, I will!" she said as she got into position. "You ready?"Michael prepped.

"Ready," nodded Sharon.

* * *

"I…don't think I like where this is goin'," uttered Odin as he watched Sharon and the young lady become dangerously close to each other without knowing. Break idly let out a breath as he continued to watch.

* * *

Thankfully, I managed to regain some stability as I continued to walk towards the house. As soon as I turned left straight ahead, I would be reaching the door. Exhaling, I straighten my back. I was about to cross another opening when I heard what sounded like a yelp. Startled, I stopped and turned my head towards the noise. However, after not hearing anything else for a few seconds, I assumed it was my imagination playing tricks and continued to walk. All of the sudden, a flash of light appeared, and out of nowhere I felt a dull yet blunt object hit me square in the face, causing me to fall backward and making everything go black.

* * *

**{A/N}: ****As I've said above, this is a chapter completely different from the last one. I'm sorry that I haven't been able to update in a while. College keeps me very busy but I haven't neglected this story. I will continue it. Please just wait a little longer. Update will come soon hopefully. '**

**P.S. : _Ayyy mira la, mira la_ is Spanish. It pretty much translates to English saying. _"Oooh, look at her, look at her,"_**


	11. Friends

**{A/N}:****Some of the content is different, yet still has the majority of the original chapter**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Friends} ~_

* * *

During the early hours of the day, Reveil, with its many inhabitants, could be seen as a colorful and flourishing urban. However, when night befell the capital; it almost became somewhat of a ghost town. The once crowded streets had become lonely and barren, with not a single soul in sight. Luckily for Reim Lunettes, that's exactly how he wanted it to be. With no hindrances obscuring his path, the better chance he had of returning home without a migraine.

As swift and nimble as he could be, Reim Lunettes quietly made his way towards to the looming cathedral that lay ahead of him.

When he reached the cobblestoned pavement, he took a moment to look up at the cathedral once more. Memories of childhood flooded into his heart as he reminisced about the times he spent here with his family, though it was quickly short-lived when he suddenly felt a droplet of water trickle down his cheek. Realizing that it was bound to rain soon, he quickly headed towards the cathedral doors. Without so having as to knock, he opened the one of the doors and snuck inside. After shutting the door behind him, he let out a sigh of relief.

"My, my brother; if you knew you would be arriving at this late hour, you should have made plans to come sooner," chided a voice. Reim looked up in astonishment. There, kneeling at an altar was his older brother Harris. Even though his back was to him, he immediately knew it was him. After muttering a short prayer in Latin, he then crossed himself and carefully rose to his feet.

"Forgive me, Harris…time flew by before I realized it was late. Was that why you had the door open?" Reim pried. Turning around, Harris walked over to him, a gentle smile lucent upon his face. "Well of course, how else were you going to get in without creating a clamor?" he then teased. "But as I said before, you should have come sooner,"

"I know, I know and I apologize once again. The meeting with parliament took longer than I expected and I also had to take care of business regarding Pandora and-,"

"There, there, Reim I know, there's no need to explain," Harris waved his hand. "However, if you keep working yourself at this rate, you're bound to collapse. Remember what mother and father said-,"

"Yes, yes I know, there's no need to remind me," Reim then cut him off, embarrassed. Harris couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's mortification. "Ha, ha; very well then, you told me over the telephone that you needed to speak with me correct? What is it that you need?"

* * *

_ …Abby…?_

_ …Abigail?!_

_ Oh my God Abby, I'm so glad you're safe! I knew that you couldn't disappeared, you don't know how much I've worried about you and Nathan over the past few weeks; I thought that after the raid was over, we would be able to find you but…oh God I'm so glad you're here. Eh? Abby, where are you going? Abby?Abby!? Wait, what's going on? Why isn't she listening to me? Abby! Abby! Please…don't leave me…Abby?!_

* * *

"_Abby!_" I called out, getting up and extending my hand.

That had to be the first time I've dreamt about her since the incident. My hand then clenched; as if to grab what was left of the dream, though all I was doing was curling my fingers uselessly around the air.

"_Oh my,_" said a small voice. I quickly turned my head over to the right, only to see the young girl from before holding a damp cloth in her hands, looking down at me. Her eyes were shadowed with pity.

"You poor thing…you were having a nightmare weren't you," she sighed as she laid the cloth back on the bowel next to her. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"I'm terribly sorry about this; I should've been more careful," she then got up out of the chair she was sitting in and walked into the bathroom. Confused, I reached to soothe my face that ached with a dulled pain. It was there that I began to notice the abnormal width of the bedroom along with furnishes. I had to say, it looked awfully fancy to just be a servant's room, but then again, it was strangely messy. Scattered papers, clothing, and strangely candy wrappers had nearly consumed the floor all over; it even had the distinct smell of candy. Before I could even begin to question, the girl then came back out of the bathroom; muttering to herself about the ill condition of the room. Setting down a few of the things that she had retrieved from the bathroom, she quickly went over to the study.

"_Where am I?_" I rasped, my voice sounding strained. The girl then glanced over in my direction while she was rummaging through some papers on top of the table.

"Oh, we're in one of my servant's bedroom. We located you here since I figured it would be more comfortable to you," she smiled bashfully. I just continued to stare at her._'This girl, Sharon was it?' _I wondered.

"Uhm, miss Clarisse was it? Are you, feeling alright? I see that you're still in pain,"she asked, gesturing head. "Oh, I…," I paused, still very lost. She then made her way back to the bedside.

"It still hurts doesn't it?" She frowned as she looked away. "Really, I'm truly sorry," she apologized.

"Wait, what do you mean that you're sorry? What happened?" I then asked her. Her face then went pale as I stared at her. "Oh…w-well, you mean you don't…remember?" she then asked me. Before I could answer however, the door opened. A boy then entered the room, wearing a solemn expression as he walked inside.

"Oh, Michael it's you," Sharon breathed.

"Yea, what did you expect someone else?" the boy chuckled.

"Oh no it's just that…I didn't think you'd be back so quickly," she then said.

"Well, all I really did was just sit there as he talked to me so it did go by kind of quickly," he breathed as he slumped down onto a chair. "I see," she looked away. "He didn't…scold you too fiercely then?" she then asked him.

"Mm, just your average scold I guess," he muttered, staring at the ceiling above him. Sharon's face then softened. "Well, you know that you didn't have to take the fall in my place," she scolded herself.

"Yea I know, but all the more so that you owe me now~," the boy winked at her.

"Ha! I don't owe you anything,"

"We'll see about that," the boy warned. I still was very confused. "Uhm, excuse me but…why am I here?" I blurted, getting their attention.

"Oh, oh I'm sorry. I-I completely forgotten you asked...well…about that. You see-," Sharon stammered.

"Oh God Sharon don't tell me you haven't told her yet," the boy chortled, cutting her off.

"W-well no I-!" Suddenly, we all heard a small noise, coming from the outside the hallway. The three of us stood quiet, waiting to see if anyone would come through the door, but when nothing came forward, it became suspicious.

"Who's there?" called out Michael, sternly. I warily tensed as he continued to call out. "Come on, come out so that we can see you," Right then; from behind the doorframe, two maids warily poked their heads out.

"_O-oh_…please forgive us young miss, w-we didn't mean to intrude, we could come at a different time?" one of the maids apologized. Sharon then let out a sigh of relief as she placed her hand over her heart.

"Oh no, it's fine really, you can come in if you'd like," she assured. The two maids gave each other nervous glances before stepping out. Once they came into view, I immediately recognized them. They we're the same two maids that I had run into that day. The short one with black pig-tails fretfully glanced about as the tall one with short, red hair stood there awkwardly.

"Was there something in particular you wanted?" asked Sharon.

"Well, young miss, to be honest…we just wanted to see miss Clarise. We heard…what happened, and we were worried so we decided to see if she was alright," the tall one replied. The one with pig-tails then glanced at me from behind her.

"Oh…well that is very thoughtful of you 's alright if you wish to speak with her, however, please don't make her over do it, I'm afraid her voice is a bit sore," she informed. They nodded all too eagerly and with that, the two of them came walking up to the bedside.

"_Hello_," they greeted timidly. "Hello," I repeated; feeling uncertain. The tall one was the first to speak. "Uhm, I know that this may seem a bit overdue and awkward sensing that we've never met but, we just had to come see you,"

"You happen to be very fortunate miss; not very many people get injuries such as yours and be able to walk right after," said the one with pig-tails.

"Annie,"

"O-oh yes, but, well you understand what I mean,"

"My name is Rachael," said the tall one. "And my name is Anne, but you can call me Annie if you'd like," For a long while I just stared at them. These were the very same girls that I had rammed into the previous night before; and it was taken for a fact that I didn't even apologize to them. Yet here they were, introducing themselves to me and trying to make me feel as if it was the first time we've ever met. I felt somewhat guilty as I continued to stare at them.

"_Rachael…Annie,_" I murmured tiredly. They both nodded; smiling. I couldn't help but smile back, though it hurt. From out of the corner of my eye, Michael had gotten up and started to walk towards the door.

"Michael, where are you going?"Sharon asked. Michael twisted around. "Huh? Oh nowhere, I was just gonna close the door ," he replied. "You know, just in case Beatrice decides to check in,"

"Oh, I don't see the need; not while I'm in here, besides, she should be out on business tonight," Sharon explained.

"Business, this late at night?"

"So it seems," she said. "Though rest assured, we won't be seeing her anytime soon," she affirmed.

"Thank goodness for that, she would certainly have our hides if she were to catch us like this," said Rachael. "Yea, and it's because she's out right now, this is the only time for the others to come in as well," said Annie.

"Others, what others?" asked Michael, and almost as soon as he said that, the door had reopened; slamming the boy up against the wall he was leaning on. A man with dirty blonde hair, all ruffled up from the sides, came strolling in. He let out a long whistle as he looked about. "Huh…so _this_ is Break's room, _niiice_," he commented. We all just sort of stared at him as he began to walk in further.

"_U-uhm_…_M-Mr. Odin?_" stuttered Sharon embarrassedly. He then glanced at her and was immediately startled. "Oh! Well good afternoon there little lady; how are you doin' this fine Sunday evenin'?" he said, doing a small bow. "S-splendid thank you but uhm…," she glanced nervously in Michael's direction. The man cocked his head to the side, confused.

"_Psst_, _Odin…,_" signaled Rachael, pointing back at the door. He turned around and when he saw what she was pointing at, he laughed guilty and quickly went over to Michael. "_Whoooa_, _ha_, sorry there little man; didn't see you there," he continued to laugh as he opened the door. "_Odiiiiii…,_" groaned Michael. The man then tried to help him up but Michael refused. He then jumped up and stumbled over to my bedside. "Odi, what are you doing here?"

"Oh yea that, uh, well I came here to see if the girl was alright and oh, there she is!" he exclaimed. He smoothed his bangs from out of his face and looked at me. "Man, some…fall huh? Really took us all by surprise," he smirked.

"Odin?" asked Rachael.

"What, I mean, I was there when they brought her in," he clarified.

"_Knock, knock! _'_May_' I come in?" chirped a voice from outside the door. Another maid wearing a short, brown plait peeked from behind the doorframe. "_Oooh_, Xerxes's room sure is messy, _tsk, tsk_…," she observed. "Wow, Rachael, Annie, Michael and even Odin are here. Even more, I certainly didn't expect the Lady of the house to be here as well!"

"Hello there May, it's good to see you," smiled Sharon. The maid did a small curtsy and looked over to the bed. "_Aw,_ you poor thing," she frowned. "From one bed to the other, must be awfully bothersome," she then trotted over to us. From here, I could see her more clearly. She almost looked like she could've been Abigail's younger sister. With laughing blue eyes and a smile that felt like it could brighten up an entire room. I simply stared in awe. "Indeed you poor thing, I do hope you get better soon," She fretted. She then grabbed my hand and clasped it within hers. "My name is May; and once you get back on your feet, I'd be more than happy to be your friend," That gesture took me completely by surprise, so much in fact it made me blush.

"_Jeez _May, way to set in the awkwardness," teased Michael. She then turned around with a suddenly offended expression. "_Awkward_? _Ugh_, that wasn't _awkward_! Was it awkward? I didn't think it was, uh, was it? Did you think it was awkward?" she asked nervously. However all I could do was gape at her. "Kidding, kidding, I was only kidding," assured Michael."Wow, we sure have a number of people in here,"

"Indeed we do, I can only wonder if she'll remember all their names," said Sharon. "Oh but I could help her with that!" piped May. She then skipped over to the front of the bed.

"I'm May, of course, and this is Odi, the handyman of the house," she pointed out. He winked at me as I looked over to him. "And obviously you already know Annie and Rachael here," she went over to them and hugged them by the shoulders. "And by now you must already know Michael, a family friend and advisor to the house," she said as she pulled him up to her side. "Yep, I think she pretty much got everyone in here," he said as he struggled to get out of her grip.

"_We beg to differ…_," said three, mystery voices from out of nowhere.

Then, from out of the closet door, a brightly-lit candelabrum came looming in out of the darkness. The one who was holding the candelabrum was a young, pale-faced had long, black hair that ended evenly behind her back; her dull grey irises staring emotionless out into the room.

"_May, how could you forget us,_" she asked. "_when we were standing right beside you this whole time_?" said another maid from behind Michael. I stood in shock as I realized that the second maid looked exactly like the first one. Twins, perhaps?

"Ah! Edith, Harriet I'm sorry I didn't see you there,"

**"**_**WHAT THE HELL?!**_**"** exclaimed Michael. **"**_**HOW THE FUCK DID YOU TWO GET IN HERE?!**_**"** The two maids glanced at each other before giving an answer.

"…_magic_,"

**"**_**TO HELL WITH THAT!**_**"** he screamed.

"Now Michael, there's no need for yelling," Sharon scolded. "Honestly, I thought _you've_ been around Break long enough to have gotten over that fear,"

"Yea, _around him_! I swear, what is it that's _so_ fascinating about coming out of nowhere? You know one of these days, it's gonna get old,"

"I wouldn't think so," said the final voice. A young man with sad looking eyes and black, shoulder-length hair was standing next to me on the other side of the bed. It had appeared that he had come out of the room next to us. "In some countries, '_appearing from out of nowhere'_ is considered very dexterous. Especially if one is using it in an act of stealth; to astonish one's opponent by using the element of surprise," he explained.

**"**_**ELEMENT OF SURPRISE MY ASS! THAT DOOR WASN'T EVEN LOCKED!**_**"**

"Oh dear…," sighed Sharon; placing her hand on her forehead. "No need to worry milady! It's just three more people she has to remember!" brightened May. Pushing the twins together into the young man, she then straightened them into a line beside me. "Now allow me to introduce these three; these two lovely twins are the Young sisters: Edith and Harriet,"

"_She is Edith, I am Harriet_," they both pointed to one another. "And this young man here is Edmond, Edmond Lewis. He happens to be the parlourmen of the house,"

"Yea, though what's ironic is that he's never _in _the parlour room, _ever_. He practically spends all his time up in the attic! Not to mention that room there," said Michael. "And what's wrong with being in the attic?" Edmond questioned; monotone.

"Oh I dunno, maybe because you're a _parlourman_? And that you _live _in the _attic?_"

"So?"

"Dude, you're supposed to be _seen_ by people, not hiding from them," Michael clarified.

"But I do not like close contact with people. I do perfectly well by observing them from afar," said Edmond.

"Oh really, and how do you do that, you know, sensing you're in the attic," asked Michael.

"That's simple, through my peep holes. With them I can easily see everything that is going on inside the manor." Everyone except the twins suddenly felt cold; as if a bitter wind had brush right through them. "_Uhm…peep holes_?" repeated Odi.

"Yes, peep holes. There is one for almost every room; with them I can ea—,"

"Yea, yea, yea, yea we get that part but…when you say almost every room…do you mean '_almost every room_'?" said Michael, cutting him off.

"Yes, almost every one, including the kitchen, the dining room, the armory, the guest room, the foyer, the _parlour_, and even here," Everyone stood silent, uttering not a word.

"Ok! _Ha ,ha_, wow it's so nice to have almost everyone here," exclaimed May, changing the from there, everyone was in their own little conversations. I looked around the room and saw everyone together, laughing, talking…all the things that other servants and I did back home. I stifled a laugh; what the hell was I thinking? '_How odd…,' _

"_I say…what is everyone doing in my room?_"

Everyone then suddenly stopped what they were doing and turned to face the door. Break was standing there with his eyebrow arched.**"By Jove! It's like a gathering of oddities in here!"**piped the doll. "Indeed,"

"Oops, guess party's over," muttered Odi.

"O-oh pardon us Break, we seem to be occupying your room. Now that I think about it, it was awfully rude of us to have one in here without your permission…w-we'll be leaving now, we're sorry," apologized May. And just like that, everyone began to leave. They all looked back to me each saying their goodbyes. As I looked amongst the crowd I noticed that only Sharon and Michael were staying. In just a few seconds everything was going to go back to the way it was, with no more people and it would soon just be the three of us_._

"_No wait_, please!" I cried; it felt as if I broke through a barrier. Everyone stopped and turned back, a dozen eyes fell upon me as I began to recover. "Miss Clarisse?" said Sharon.

"Please…don't leave," I breathed. Looking up, I saw everyone staring back at me, including Break."I don't want to be alone again. So please…stay?" I asked them. Annie, Rachael and May all gave each other glances before coming back. May was the first one to reach for my hand. In a comforting voice, she looked up at me and said, "Of course we will, anything for you…," Tears stung the edges of my eyes. "_Thank…you,_" I mumbled. She then leaned forward and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, letting my guard down.

"Huh, well I suppose that leaves me no choice…," said Break. We anxiously watched him as he began to walk from the door.

"Who's up for a little midnight party, with drinks~?" he smiled as he looked up at the crowd. As quickly as it came, the anxiety then disappeared from the room. Everyone had smiles on their faces as they took in the news.

"Alright, drinks!" exclaimed Odi. Sharon smiled happily as she began to walk over to Break. "Speaking of another thing though; how is it that you have such a big and fancy room and we don't?" asked Odi; playfully suspicious."Oh well that's simple my dear Odin, it's just that I'm better than you, is all~," replied Break, jokingly.

"What? Oh yea right!" Odi countered, and just like that, everything went back to before. I still held onto to May as I began to look around. Hein had entered the room and jumped onto the bed beside me, and as I hugged him, a sense of warmth and comfort began to consume me. If not for a short moment…I felt peaceful.

"_Oh no you didn't…,_" Break said all the sudden. "Edmond you did not just drill a hole on my floor,"

"I had to, just in case Miss Beatrice comes back." explained Edmond.

"Well then; if we are going to have a midnight party, we should prepare food as well, what say you miss Clarisse?" Sharon then turned to me.

"Sharon, why do you keep calling her Clarisse?" Michael asked.

"What are you saying?"

"Her name is _Clarise_; didn't you know?"

"_Eh!?_" Sharon exclaimed. "W-what! B-b-but, but I-!"

"Ah, yes I was wondering about that as well milady?"

"Yes, I was too. Perhaps she got them confused?"

_**"What on earth are you all talking about!?"**_ Sharon then fumed. Indeed, peaceful…nonetheless; and so the night went on. I never did find out what happened in the end.

* * *

Break sat at his study, jadedly reading the newspaper. As he sifted through the articles, his eye began to sting with fatigue. He lightly grabbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eye for a he reopened it, his vision was slightly blurred. He sighed loudly as he threw the paper down in frustration. '_It's just as I suspected…I can only regain my ability to see if I don't strain myself too much.' _He gritted his teeth in annoyance. A small moan then came from his bed, interrupting his thoughts. Bed sheets rustled about until the movement had stopped. He warily glanced up at his bed, looking at the girl. She snuggled closer to pillow she was holding; still sound asleep. The dog, however, whimpered below at the front of his bed. He was looking up at Break with pleading eyes. He glared at the dog irritably.

"_Hmph_, don't get any ideas, you're only lucky that you got to stay here in the first place,"he grumbled. The dog grumbled along with him, sighed, and then looked the other way. A short knock rapped at his door, getting both their attention. Break cagily stood up and walked over to answer it. When he opened it, Odin was standing at the door looking up at the ceiling above him.

"_Aheh_, sorry to disturb you, didn't mean ta '_interrupt_' anythin'," he said as he looked past Break, snickering. Break grinned crookedly. "_Hm_, don't get ahead yourself, I wasn't doing anything your dirty little mind was thinking,"

"Oh I'm not sayin' that you were, just you know, kinda surprised that you would have a _girl_ in your bed, finally. I was actually beginnin' to worry," he smiled. Break smirked and looked away from him. "Please don't try me; I'm actually not in the mood and _quite _tempted to just shut the door on your face," he calmly retorted. Odin then held his hands up defensively. "Whoa, whoa there _ha, ha_, I was only kiddin'," he laughed nervously. "It's not like I didn't hear what the little lady said before. And I actually have a reason for coming here but just wonderin', where are _you_ going to sleep tonight?"

"The couch, now about that reason?" Break quickly said.

"_Ha, ha_ ok well come outside and I'll tell ya'," Odin said as he stepped into the hallway. Break then came after and quietly closed the door behind him. Odin leaned against the wall beside the door while Break went around and leaned on the other one facing him. Before saying anything, Odin took in a deep breath. "Well to start things off; me and Edmond discovered somethin' that might just interest you," Break looked at him with curiosity. "Ok, and what exactly did you discover?"

"It involves the murders that have been taking place in Reveil. It would seem that the locals have already given the killer a name," said Edmond, revealing himself from above through the ceiling. "Oh, well that was fast…the Yard attempted to come up with several names but with no suspects it really wouldn't make much of a difference," Break replied, looking down the hallway.

"Well yea but now that Pandora has taken the case, have they gotten any closer?" pried Odin.

"I've tried searching for any information that could've been held from us but to no avail. Even though it is rather early; we're still no closer than we were from when we took the case," Odin then smiled confidently. "Then this is where this comes in," Break arched his eyebrow, confused.

"Me and Edmond have somewhat of a description. Not really a good one but nonetheless it could help you still," he clarified. Break nodded his head. "Alright then, from where did you hear it and what is it?"

"Some bar in central Reveil; the _Cove_ or somethin' but a couple men were passin' by the subject while they were havin' shots. Apparently…they call him: '_The Musicbox man_'."

"The _Musicbox man_?" asked Break; now even more confused. Odin shrugged his shoulders and held his hands up. "Look even I don't know, but that's what the locals are beginning to call him,"

"A few days ago, it was said that a local drunkard was out on the streets in the middle of the night when he suddenly heard a noise, a melody of sorts to be more exact. When he walked over to the source of the noise, out of the fog, he saw the shape of a man all dressed in carnival apparel walking down the alley. He stated that the melody was coming from _inside_ of him," Edmond explicated. "Of course, coming out of a drunkard, his word on it is highly debatable. Though nonetheless, it is something to behold,"

"_Huh_…_the Musicbox man,_" Break repeated. "So what do you think?" Odin asked. Break cocked his head to the side and walked back to the door. "Interesting…on two parts,"

"Two parts?" Odin pried. Break smiled mischievously as he stopped in front of the door. "Yes, two: One that happens to be an interesting street name and two for managing to have _Edmond_ there in the first place~," he mused. "I mean yes I told you to bring him along but I didn't actually think you'd go through with it. My dear Edmond, what possessed you to wonder out of your precious attic?"

"I do not have to reveal my nature to you for any circumstance," Edmond retorted. Break continued to smile as he opened the door. "Well regardless, thank you for the information. I'll ask Reim more about it when he comes back," Odi nodded his head in reply. "No problem…oh but uh, speaking of another thing," he asked, stopping Break from going inside. "Today in the room, I saw both you and Michael there but you two weren't speaking to each other. Now I know that you saw that it was the little missy's fault that we had to tend to the girl but, so clearly you weren't too hard on scoldin' him, were you?" Break then sighed as he held his head, exhausted.

"Ah yes…well, let's just say we're not on speaking terms right now," he answered; sounding irritable himself. Odin blinked and looked down. "Oh, well ok then, uhm…night," he said as he began to walk away. Break closed the door behind him and slightly leaned against it. Looking out towards the balcony, he thought about going out again tonight. "Are you planning to leave once more?" asked Edmond, once again from above. Break sighed as he brushed his bangs out of his face. "Yes, there's something…I need to look into," he said.

* * *

**{A/N}:****Changes have be made to this chapter as well, I will be working on the others as we speak. **


	12. Side View

**{A/N}:** **Not too many changes done to this chapter but still changes**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Side View} ~_

* * *

"Hey Gil, I know I already asked you this once but, where exactly are we going again?" I whispered as Gilbert and I quietly made our way down the dark corridor.

"Down to the research laboratories; I have a feeling that we weren't hearing the whole story from those operatives yesterday," he replied, looking straight ahead.

"So you think we could find something there that could help us?"

"More or so, yes," It had only been a day since we arrived at Pandora and already the suspicion and secrecy began to set in. One would think that with a title and status such as mine and Gilbert's we would have multitudes of classified information being told to us as if they were everyday things. However, I guess that just wasn't the case. Everyone holds a secret, and I guess it was up to us whether we could be told one and handle the consequences, or not. Though, _'funny story'_; as we were walking, it had actually occurred to me that although I knew to be suspicious of how the case had been explained to us, I had completely forgot about what the case had been about. '_Haha, oh yea, Gil's gonna 'love' this…' _I mused.

"So..., _ha_, hey Gil, funny little thing about that uhm…what exactly did the officers tell us again?" my voice cracked a bit on that last part.

"Oh my God Oz, don't tell me you forgot already!" he quietly exclaimed; stopping in his tracks. I gaped at him and held my hands up defensively. "No c'mon, ok, look it's not like I _completely_ forgot about it! I got…a few things," I defended.

"You've got to be kidding me, this is _so_ like you! You weren't even paying attention at all!"

"_No!_ I paid definite attention to the _photographs_ didn't I!?" I exclaimed. However before I could say anything else, I analyzed my own words. I quickly lowered my voice and backed off. Gilbert noticed this and looked at me.

"Oz…?" I heard him ask, worried. I held my head down due to my expression. If it was one thing I did remember, it had to be those pictures. While they were discussing the concerns over with Gilbert, I had the chance to look at some of the pictures that they took at one of the crime scenes. Just by going through the detail alone, it almost reminded me of Sablier; they had to be one of the most sickening things I had ever seen in my entire life. One of the images was supposed to be where the victim had perished, only that, when you looked at it, you couldn't even tell if there was even _a victim_ to begin with. It had taken place a secluded lane, just outside of a main street in Reveil; chunks of bloody flesh were strewn all over; every square inch of the area to be exact. A mere glance at the thing and one would think it was a mass homicide. Though the investigators checked it through; there was only one victim…

"_Oz?_" Gilbert pushed. I quickly shook off my nausea and looked up at him. "_U-uhm_, let's…let's just keep moving," I muttered, making my way passed him. Even though I didn't know where I was heading, I just couldn't bear to look at his face right then. Gilbert said nothing and quickly caught up with me. As we were walking we stayed quiet, both him and I. Alice was still asleep up in the other building in our room. Not wanting to disturb her or bring her along, whichever his reason, Gilbert decided it was best to leave her behind. So we did; just the two of us, walking in silence; however it didn't last very long. As soon as we had turned a corner into the next hallway, we began to hear what sounded like crackling ice.

"What was that?" I asked, stopping in my tracks. The noise had come from below us, just a little bit further up from where we were standing. Gilbert walked ahead and stopped in front of the stairs leading down. He narrowed his gaze, trying to see down into the darkness. Suddenly, a bright blue light had completely illuminated the entire corridor. I shaded my eyes as the mysterious light began to flicker around us. Then, as quickly as it came, it began to fade away, followed by more sounds of crackling ice.

"_What on earth was that?_" I breathed, officially intrigued. Gilbert continued to look down. His mouth somewhat a gape; rather impressed. "_Incredible_," he whispered. He then went down the stairs and left me alone.

"U-uhm ok then, wait for me I guess," I mumbled. '_Odd, what the hell was that for?' _I wondered.I came down the stairs as quietly as I could without making a sound. As I walked up towards the opening of the black corridor, there in front of me was an enormous glass window broadening along the side of the wall. Gilbert was right in front of it, staring out.

"_Gil! Are you crazy, what are you doing? Do you _want_ to get caught!?_" I hissed, keeping my voice down. I ran up to him and grabbed his sleeve. "_We'll get in trouble if they see us here, let's go!_" Gilbert, still staring out, started to laugh and lightly grabbed my hand. "Oz, Oz, calm down it's alright," he assured me as he continued to stare out into the blackened room. My eyes followed his gaze leading me to the middle of a lit, open space. What I saw next had to be one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

First of all, the room on the other side wasn't like the other rooms; if anything it looked like the roman coliseum, and that we were at the very top of it. Looking down at the open space at the bottom, I saw what Gilbert was looking at. It was a young girl, standing resolute right in the middle of the ground. She had silvery short hair and a cute petite figure. '_Cute_' was actually an understatement.

"Oh my _God _Gil that girl is scorching hot! Who is _she?_" I exclaimed; my heart beating madly. "Oz, you _can't_ be serious?" he muttered.

"Who is she? Tell me dammit; I _demand_ to know the name of the angel who stole my heart!" Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Oh please, don't be so shoddy; she's just a student," I whipped my head so fast I heard it crack. "A what? _Student?_" I pried. Gilbert sighed and looked back down at the girl. She hadn't moved an inch since the moment I saw her. She seemed to be concentrating on something; this increased my interest even further. "Hey Gil, what is she doing?" Gilbert continued to watch her, backing away from the window as he did. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's practicing her magic; if we move into the next room we could get a better look, c'mon," he said as he turned around and walked down the hallway.

"Magic…? So wait; what is she, a witch?" I asked as I followed him. "To be honest, I couldn't really tell you; all I know is that she recently came here not too long ago from Sablier and is enrolled in the academy as a student. I believe her name is _Marion_?" he explained. He then walked up to the door that was in front of us and pulled out a pair of keys.

"W-wait ok stop; we have an academy? _Students?!_" I blurted. Gilbert unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Oh right, you didn't know anything about that did you?" he replied. I was too indisposed at the moment to even reply back. The room we had entered was completely white; a sudden change from the dark, dim-lit hallway we were just in. The brightness of the new room reflected back upon my uniform, making the furnishings and my family emblem glitter marvelously.

"Uhm Gil, where are w—," I began to ask him, but as soon as I turned around he was already walking to the next door on the other side. He motioned me to come over as he stopped in front of the door. I warily walked to where he was and hid behind him. He then opened it and walked in with me trailing behind. When we entered, nothing had changed. The room was just as white as the last one; with the exception of another large window on the side wall; though this one in particular was larger and positioned higher than the last one. I stood in wonder at the scene.

"_Where are we?_"

"_Ah_, Master Gilbert! How nice it was of you to join us!" boomed a voice from above. We looked up to our left; spotting the one who had just spoken. High up on a balcony stood an elderly, bald-headed man who wore a much more sophisticated version of the Pandora uniform. Beside him were four other people; all of them, surprisingly, happened to be adolescents wearing the same uniform that we were wearing. They were all staring at me; one even gasping when she saw me. It looked like everyone was taken in by my presence; all except one, a boy who was leaning against the wall glaring down at me.

"My, and what do we have here?" asked the man as he came down to greet us. "Why if it isn't the rumored hero of legend; _Master Oz Vessalius_, or should I say '_Jack_' Vessalius?" he breathed, playfully suspicious. I smiled diffidently as he looked down upon me.

"No sir, just Oz," I mumbled, bashfully looking down. The old man smiled. "_Hmph_…well, at least this whole '_Hero of a Hundred Years Ago,_' nonsense hasn't gotten to your head. It rather pleases me, actually…indeed," he said as he walked towards us. "Well, in any case, allow me to introduce myself; my name is _Phineas_ _Jenkins_. The '_Great Jenkins_' if you please, but of course, you may call me Jenkins if you'd like," he bowed. He then looked up at the adolescents above.

"_Ahem_, children; now I would assume that you're not all just going to stay up there and ignore your superiors now are you?" he asked, questionably. Still somewhat in awe at my presence, three of them quickly tried to gather their bearings and walked down towards us. The two boys were muttering about something under their breaths, staring at me. The girl was smiling nervously as she came down. The boy leaning against the wall was the last to follow. They all stood in a line in front of me and Gilbert. "Now, I'm certainly positive that you all are eager to introduce yourselves to master Vessalius, so boys, why don't you start first?"

The two boys; the tall one with golden-brown, curly locks and the short one with short spiky, blonde-bleached hair smiled roguishly at the request. "Why of course sir!" they said in unison. The short one was the first to approach me.

"Master Vessalius; may I say it is an _honor_ to make your acquaintance, please allow _me_ to introduce myself; my name is _Tyler Toderro_," he said as he bowed down. "And my name is _Elijah Williams_," said the tall one. "Both of us, at your humble service," they said, bowing in accord. I was about to say something until Gilbert stopped me. He then crossed his arms and looked down at the two of them sternly.

"_Elijah, Tyler_," he scolded them. I was confused for a bit until after awhile the two of them sucked their teeth irritably. "Ok fine_ I'm _Elijah," said the short one. "And _I'm_ Tyler…still, at your service…," I couldn't help but laugh.

"_Jeez Gilbert, you ruined it!_"

"_Yea, why did you have to go and do that?_"

"Because you're not supposed to _confuse_ the person that you're introducing yourselves to," he scolded.

"Yea but c'mon, he was gonna figure that out eventually, _duh_!" exclaimed Elijah.

"_Deuh_, don't chu' sass me!" rebuked Gilbert as he slapped the back of his head. The two boys began to laugh.

"Seriously? Ya'll were going to pull _that_ on him?" said the girl from behind as she walked towards us.

"We were bored," replied Tyler. The girl rolled her almond colored eyes. "Whatever," she then came up to me and held out her hand. "Hello, my name is Jennifer, Jennifer Tifton; and may I say it is a great honor to finally meet you," she introduced. My eyes could not leave from her face. '_As if it was craved by angels_…,' I marveled.

"_Psst_, _Oz!_" whispered Gilbert; bringing me back to reality. I scrambled embarrassedly as I quickly reached over to shake her hand. "Y-yes! Yes, it is an honor to meet you as well! _Hehehe…_," I laughed nervously. The girl smiled along with me and for awhile we couldn't stop smiling, I especially.

"_Aheh_, _uhm_, you can, stop shaking my hand now…," she breathed. I immediately withdrew my hand from hers. "Oh wow _ha_, sorry," I apologized. '_What the hell is wrong with me?' _I then patted my shoulder and looked at all of us.

"Well, at least everyone _here_ seems to know each other," he smiled. His words got me a little. When I looked up to him to see if he was still staring at us, he wasn't. He was staring at the other boy who was a little ways off from us. Gilbert raised his eyebrow and spoke out to him.

"Well Michael; are you going to come over here and introduce yourself?" he asked him. Upon being summoned, the boy named Michael, looked away from us; seeming to be upset about something. Jenkins then placed his hands on his shoulders and whispered something into his ear. The boy then looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. It was almost like a silent argument between the two of them. Though after awhile, it seemed like Jenkins was getting through to him. The boy then breathed out dejectedly and began to walk over to us. He had short, curly black hair that went slightly passed his shoulders and was lightly olive-skinned. He stopped small, standing in front of me and Gilbert. He nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"Hello," he mumbled. I nodded back, smiling. Gilbert patted his back heartily and went over to his side. "Well now that were all _semi_-acquainted, let's get down to business," he said, motioning me. He then glanced over to Jenkins; his expression turning serious. "Phineas, we came here to ask you something," he started. Jenkins looked to him attentively, allowing Gilbert to continue. "It's, regarding about the murders; we were hoping that you would have information about it. If not…something more," he finished.

Jenkins blinked once or twice before letting out a small chuckle.

"Well Master Gilbert, by now you must already know that I never have any known information with me at any moment," he said. I was confused by this but when I looked back at Gilbert, he didn't at all seem fazed. Instead, he cocked his brow and smiled; continuing to eye him.

"I know, I was only asking if I could borrow your '_star students,_' for this one," he implied. I flinched and looked up at Gilbert, perplexed. Jenkins laughed at this and stopped by the stairway. "Goodness, to think that my own students would have such imperative knowledge…it is indeed shocking," he said. "However regardless, do what you must master Gilbert; speaking of which that will be all for today children, you are free to leave with him if you'd like," he finished as he walked down the stairs. Gilbert then looked down at the group of children; particularly at the girl and two boys.

"So, let's hear what chu' got," he said as he folded his arms. Tyler chuckled to himself, left the group and followed after Jenkins.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, ok; run this by me again; exactly what makes you think that _we_ have the information that you're looking for," asked Elijah, cocking his eyebrow. "Yea Gil, _why?_" I added, still very much confused.

"For three individual reasons," he said as he displayed three fingers. "Number one: Your _father_ happens to be the head secretary working for the _Barma_ family," he then looked over to Jennifer. "Two: Your _uncle _is _the general_ of the organization," he then finally pointed at Michael. "And three: I just know you've got something," he finished.

"Wait a minute; you're General Tifton's _niece?_" I gaped at the girl. "Yea," She nodded her head and smiled timidly.

"Well yea but, shouldn't you be asking _them_ instead of us?" Elijah suggested. Gilbert laughed cynically. "_Huh_, yea right; by now you have to realize that even _we_ aren't always told everything," he said as he clasped his hands. "So tell me; _anything new?_"

* * *

"Hey Aaron," Frederich called out; getting the boy's attention. Aaron glanced over to his side facing the stables behind him. "Yeah?" he replied, flicking off a piece of grass off his boot. Frederich then came up from behind the wall and sat beside him. Aaron continued to look at his shoe, not even acknowledging his presence. "You know, its bit early to be awake…is everything alright?" he asked him, concerned.

"Early huh?" he muttered. Frederick laughed at this, taking it as a joke.

"Well of course, unless you consider four in themorning late," he explained. Aaron blinked at him a couple of times before looking away. "O-oh, yea sure," he mumbled. Frederich's smile disappeared and changed into a frown. The newfound silence gave off an uneasiness to the atmosphere. After what seemed like a while, Aaron finally looked in Frederich's direction.

"Hey, exactly when does the old man get here?" he asked him. Frederich blinked; taken aback by his sudden question. "_U-uh_, y-you mean Jethro?" he stuttered. Aaron nodded his head, getting anxious.

"W-well, to be honest, I don't really know. It is Monday after all, so I'm guessing a little after ten 'clock?" he replied.

"Oh, ok then," Aaron then looked away from him. Frederich nodded his head and looked straight ahead. Once again, they were both in awkward silence. Close by were a pair of birds, twittering off in a nearby tree. Although their company was somewhat jovial, they only seemed to add on to the discomfort.

"_Shouldn't it be cold this time of year?_" Again, Frederich looked up at him in confusion.

"_U-uhm_, _I suppo__—__?_"

"Nevermind…sorry for even asking," Aaron quickly said. He then got up and began to walk towards the servant's quarters. "Uh, Aaron?" called out Frederich, only to be ignored. Aaron clenched his fist and began giving nervous glances at the manor. Yesterday had already marked the first day since the accident. Even though he had been kept well-informed about Clarise's condition, he still couldn't help but worry. The sly, falcate grin on that man's face had then appeared in his mind. He gritted his teeth in anger.

"_Damn bastard_…," he growled under his breath. Frederich stayed in his place, looking off into his distance. A ray of light peeked over the mountains behind them; its shine barely extending its reach over the valley.

"_Oh dear_," A woman sighed. She stood there; blocking the little sunlight out of her eyes as she looked up at the manor. She only stood a little ways off from where the entrance was, right in between the dirt paved road to be exact. A cool breeze blew right through her body; her teal dress trying to follow it. She then grabbed a hold of her hat and smiled with unknown assurance.

"_Goodness, something tells me that this maybe the start of a new beginning,_"

* * *

**(A/N}: This had to be another one of the shortest chapters in the story but I honestly can say it was a success. Now I know you must be all thinking about the purpose of the '**_**academy students**_**', well to be quite frank, I had been thinking a lot about the conception of the Organization itself and how it was run. I don't know exactly how this happened but, these kids just came into mind. (Lol actually a few came from my school but) as soon as they popped into my head, I just had to write them down. I figured if Pandora is such a big organization, why not have an academy for students so that they could learn the ropes of the place so that when they get older, they can be the new leaders and followers of the union. I guess in a way you could actually call it '**_**Pandora Academy'**_**. It was just one of those random writer inspirational moments, a few of you may know what I'm talking about^^. And also about Clarise not appearing in this chapter:/ Well to put it in short, she basically asked me if she could have a break, (no pun intended). I guess even characters need a breather after awhile. Not only that but I also needed to give time to Oz, Gilbert and Aaron. However she **_**will **_**be in the next chapter! You can be sure of that! And with that be said I leave on two notes! ****1. If you have **_**any **_**questions about the story, just go ahead and ask me!**** The last thing I would want is for my audience readers to feel lost in anyway. And 2. Tifton is the man who accused Oz and Alice of being assassins who wanted to kill the four dukes. He was also the guy that Jack pushed over the stairs lol. See you until the next update! And yes, reviews would nice:) **


	13. Unexpected

**{A/N}:** **Chapter 12 is changed as well but not by too much until you reached the end! **

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ { Unexpected} ~_

* * *

The morning light slowly creped in through the windows, chasing away the remaining dusk. I stood awake, facing the ceiling, watching as the shadows above began to fade. I couldn't tell how much time had passed since I had been up nor did I bother to find out. I was finally at peace, and I did not want to disrupt it in anyway. I then glanced over to the side where the windows were. The sun had barely touched the tips of the pine trees over head. Looking back up at the ceiling, I closed my eyes. Never once had I been able to settle down the entire time that I've been here, and lately, I've been finding myself in bed more often than naught. I couldn't help but laugh. Drifting off didn't seem like a bad idea, yet it wasn't something I really wanted to do. In the end, I lifted the covers off of me and sat up.

"That's right, I fell asleep in_ his _room," I breathed. Going back to yesterday's events, I remembered that Rachel had gone through the trouble of getting my clothes from my room in the servant's quarters. After using both his bed and bathroom, I had pretty much used his entire room to my extent; all in one night. Luckily however, it wasn't a big deal; he wasn't even in the room to begin with. I let out a sigh as I began to look around the room for my extra clothing.

888

After I changed and patted out my dress, I walked over to the mirror to straighten out my hair. Once I was done, I walked back towards the chair I had found my clothes in and tidily placed my night gown in its seat. Walking back towards the mirror, I checked to see if everything was in place. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hein, sprawled out in a very awkward position on the couch. I shook my head as I looked over him. Then, as quietly as I could, I tiptoed towards the couch and knelt down in front of him.

"_Heeeeiiin_," I cooed. The dog suddenly woke up and thrashed his legs. After seeing it was only me who called him, he simply snorted and stood up straight. "It would seem that we've been left by ourselves. What say you we leave this place and walk around? Perhaps we could sneak out and see if we could meet up with Aaron and Collette?" I suggested. Hein then stole a glance at the door then back at me. I rested my chin within my palm and narrowed my eyes. He then shook off whatever was on him and ran over to the door. He sat down beside it, waiting for me to come along. "Alright, alright I'm coming," I told him. Looking up at the clock, I found that it was still early, though if I timed it right, perhaps I would still be able to sneak away to the stables and find Aaron. Without wasting another second, I quickly rushed out the door.

Now getting out of the room was the easy part, it was figuring out how to get outside that had me worried. Though judging by the time, I couldn't comprehend why. '_There really should be nothing to worry about, I mean who on earth could possibly be awake at this hour?' _I wondered. However, just as we had turned into the main hallway, I saw the twin maids, _Edith and Harriet_, sweeping along the corridor. I lightly gasped as I immediately pushed myself against the wall behind them. Hein, on the other hand, barked happily as he ran over towards them.

"_Oh look, if it isn't the cute puppy from yesterday,_" cooed one of the twins. "_Might I ask where you came from, little one?_" And as if things couldn't get even worse, I sneezed.

"_What was that?_" they asked. In the mirror facing the hallway, I could see the one on the floor get up with Hein in her arms. The both of them tilted their heads to the side, simultaneously. '_That…isn't creepy…?' _I cowered as I slowly slid down against the wall, holding myself silence. In the mirror I could visibly see them whispering to one another; I held my head down in complete mortification. I then slowly twisted my head to face them. To my horror, however, they were gone. Stunned, I began to search the corridor, only to confirm what I was seeing. I clenched the frame of the entrance in suspense. '_But…that's impossible; this whole hallway has no rooms, where would they have gone?!' _I questioned.

"_Why miss Clarise, how nice it is to see you,_" greeted two monotone voices from behind. My back froze as I slowly turned my head to face them. I flinched in surprise and smiled. "_H-ha, w-why good morning,_" I laughed fearfully. "H-how are you two doing this fine morning?"

"_We're both fine, thank you for asking,_" they replied. I nodded my head and glanced at Hein; he looked very snug inside of the twin's arms.

"_And how are you doing today miss Clarise? Are you feeling better now?_" they asked me. I snapped my head back up, still smiling. "Y-yes! I'm doing alright, and uh, yes; I just decided to stretch my legs is all," I nodded. They both nodded back and continued to stare at me; their gaze fixated on my form. I could feel the goose bumps begin to form on my arms.

"So…," I muttered.

"_So…,_" they repeated after me. I sweated nervously. A grandfather clock had rung on the opposite side of the wall in front of me. By now, it should've already been six; I clenched my fists in frustration. '_I'm running out of time…,' _I grimaced.

"_Miss Clarise?_" they then called.

"Yes?" I turned back to them.

"_Was there something else you wanted?_" they asked me. I stared at them, hesitantly.

"_Uhm_…well yes, yes there is actually," I replied. Slowly I stood up, letting go of the wall. Looking them straight in the eye, I firmly stood my ground and grabbed the sides of my dress. "If…it wouldn't be too much trouble; I would like to go and see my brother, Aaron, if you'd let me," I stated. They both blinked and looked to one another. I was about to say something else until they turned around and huddled close together; whispering in each other's ears. Hein began to wriggle out of the twin's hold and walk towards me. I looked at the twins anxiously. Finally after a few moments, they separated from each other and innocently looked up towards the ceiling. Somewhat confused, I took a step forward and clenched my hand.

"Well?" I asked them.

"_Hm, what do you think we should do, Harriet?_"

"_I don't know Edith; after all, it was supposed to be Beatrice's duty to keep an _eye_ on her yet she is not here…,_" they whispered to each other.

"_What to do, what to do…Beatrice specifically said not to '_intermingle_' with the laborers…what to do, what to do,_" they chanted. I anxiously clenched the hem of my dress. "Look, I understand if you can't let me go alone but if you could please take me down there I—,"

"_Ok, we'll let you go,_" they cut me off. I blinked in surprise. "W-wait…_really?_" they both nodded their heads. I could feel the weight instantly lift off my chest. "O-oh, well thank you I—,"

"_Of course this means that we'll have to show you the way,_" they then said. "_The 'surreptitious' way,_ _come!_" One of them then pulled on my hands and dragged me towards a cluttered wall. I looked up at the paintings that were hanging there. I shook my head in confusion.

"_Before, you were wondering where we had come from, correct?_" they said. With that, one of them pulled down on the bust that was leaning against the wall which converted itself into a passage way. The twins both stood on either side of it, having their hands out in show. "_Here, it will directly lead you to the outside,_"

I stood there, completely dumbfounded. They both then turned around to look into it. "_It may look a bit dreary but it's nothing to fret over, however, you might want to watch your head, it is a bit dark,_"

"_Oh! And also you might want to keep an eye out for spiders, and roaches_"

"_Indeed, that and rats_—_,_"

"_Edith, there are no rats,_"

"_But the one we saw?_"

"_Was as dead as a doornail, remember?_"

"_Ah yes, quite right, well regardless you might want to look out for it; it should be lying in there somewhere,_"

"_Well, that is all you need to watch out for; are you ready miss Clarise?_" Silence was all that was heard through the empty hallway. Only Hein sat beside them.

"_Eh? Miss Clarise…?_"

* * *

"Honestly! These people are crazy!" I laughed as I stormed through hall. The secret passageway they had shown me was nothing but a hole; a _deep, dark hole_. Besides the fact that I would've been all alone in there: Spiders? _Rats?_ Not to mention…_**cockroaches**_. I shuddered.

"You'd have to be on the border line of _insanity_ if you'd think you could get me to step foot in that place!" I exclaimed. Turning a corner, I headed towards the servant's quarters. Upon seeing no one in sight, it was safe to assume that once I went through the back doors, I would be home-free. "Finally, I'll be out of here in no time," However, as soon as I looked back, I was then suddenly knocked onto the floor. I cringed as I reached up to soothe my bandaged head.

"_O-ow_," whimpered a voice. Immediately I stopped patting my head. Right in front of me was a young woman in a teal dress; her long hair covering most of her face.

"_Oh my goodness, I-I-I'm so sorry; are you alright?!_" I stammered as I quickly rushed over to her. "I am so sorry; I should've watched where I was going!"

"Oh no, you're fine deary, I should've watched where _I_ was goin'," the woman responded. She then parted her hair from her face and looked up at me. Her hues were mesmerizing, as they were the same color as her dress. She then gasped in dread as she looked at me.

"_Good Heavens, what on earth happened to you!?_" she exclaimed as she quickly got up. She then hauled me up with her and frantically began to dust off my dress.

"Here you are worryin' and apologizin' to me when I should be the one doing it to you!" she fretted. I was still in mild shock after she had rapidly gotten up before me. As soon as she was done, she then soothed out what was the rest of my hair and gently held my face in her hands.

"Well, you certainly are a new face, may ask who you are?" she inquired, smiling. I blinked a couple of times before I could respond. "Oh_, _I'm Clarise, Clarise Dawson. I am a new servant here," I told her.

"_Clarise Dawson…hm,_ well it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance Clarise," She nodded. "Now I suppose it's only fair to give you my name in return; my real name is Leanne but almost everyone here calls me '_Lula'_,"

"_L-Lula?_" I repeated. Her smile widened as she let go of me. "That's it, now that were acquainted, do you mind if I ask you something?" I nodded my head, not sure of the consequences.

"For what reason, exactly, are you doing out of bed? Judgin' by your appearance, you look like you've just been in a carriage accident," she frowned. My eyes widened in anxiety.

"Oh, n-no it, it's a long story—I _uhm_, _ha_," I blabbered; rubbing the back of my head. "I just…wanted to take a tour of the mansion! _Yes;_ I've been waiting so long for a chance to look around, besides, I'm pretty sure I could use the exercise, you know, for my legs,"

"A _tour?_ Of the entire manor?" she pondered.

"Of the _entire_ manor, yes, but unfortunately for me I have no one to show me around. The person who was originally supposed to be my guide decided to sleep in for the day_ s_o not wanting to bother them, I just thought I'd take look a around for myself and go on from there! So I'll just, go back around this way," I said as I began to turn around.

"Oh well why don't I be your guide!" she then offered; stopping me dead in my tracks. I swiftly turned around to face her.

"Y-you? Oh no it's perfectly fine, I-I-I wouldn't want to be a pest and I'm sure you have plenty of other things to do so—," I tried to convince her.

"Oh no, it's alright; I would be more than happy to show around, besides, lookin' the way you are I couldn't possibly let you out of my sight! Oh, but wait; just let me get my bags into my room and we'll be on our way!" she beamed.

"_Y-your bags?!_ Oh no now I couldn't possibly—,"

"Don't worry, it'll be _fine_; sides, my room's right over here," she said as she tossed her bags in the empty room next to us. "_B-but…aren't you new to this place?_" I stuttered.

"Who me? Heavens no, I've worked here before so I practically know this place like the back of my hand, now c'mon, let's get started!" she said as she pulled my arm. I was going to try and stop her when suddenly, my stomach began to growl.

"Oh dear, was that your stomach?" the woman asked me. I bitterly reached over to pat my abdomen, feigning a smile. "Well yes, but I'm really not that hungry," I said, and as in to spite me, it growled once more, louder this time.

"Oh, well let me at least make you a spot of breakfast before we go, promise it won't take long!" Before I could say anything else, she had already dragged me into the kitchen.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Gil questioned once more. "You all went to the small town of Umbridge that lies just a few miles away from Reveil as planned, and staked out the entire night in a hotel, with equipment and everything…yet you did not find _anything, _worth documenting for the case?" he strained as he glared at the students.

"Gil, cut us some slack. It's not our fault that nothing showed up on the cameras," Michael explained to him. All three of them were seated in front of us.

"I know it isn't your fault Michael and I'm not blaming you for anything, however, you didn't think to walk around the town? Maybe position your team somewhere other than where you were stationed at? Perhaps the contractor was there but you missed him for not expanding you terrain," Gil prodded, rubbing the front part of his forehead.

"And for what, so that we all could become sitting ducks and be the bastard's next victims? Oh yea sure; _hey guys, why don't we purposely put our lives in danger just so that we can get some blurred films of the illegal contractor! If we're lucky, we won't get slaughtered while we're taking the damn photograph!_ After all, in the end we're all just cannon fodder for the cause right?" Elijah retorted sarcastically.

"That's not what I was getting at!" Gil then yelled angrily.

"Regardless, he has a point," Michael then added. "I wasn't going to endanger the lives of my team mates just for some lousy pictures," Gil lowered his head before responding. "Do you really think you would have been in danger if you had?" he then asked him.

"Um, considering the content of the photos from the last crime scene, yea, we probably wouldn't be sitting here right now," Elijah laughed. "After all, running away can only get you so far,"

"I didn't want to risk it," Michael then said. Gil then nodded his head and looked back down.

"Also, you have to consider the fact that the weather wasn't really on our side either," said Jennifer, who had stayed quiet during the entire ride. "The fog rolled in all too quickly, it didn't even let us get ready," she frowned.

"You have a point there too," Michael nodded, cupping his chin with his fingers.

"That fog was _waaay_ too thick to even consider taking pictures, and to think that before everything seemed like a normal evening. It's kinda weird now that I think about it…,"

"Yea it was kinda weird, but doesn't that region always get like that though? Foggy and what not?" said Elijah.

"I wouldn't know for sure. I'd have to ask Percy; he is the one who was supposed to be keeping track of the weather on our missions," Michael rolled his eyes and looked out the window.

"That's true," Elijah agreed. "Oh well, it's not like we're in dire need of a photo of him just yet right?"

"But you didn't even hear anything? Never mind if you didn't see anything, what about hearing something. Local rumors have said that some music is usually involved just before the crimes. Not even that?" Gilbert then pried. Elijah shook his head. "Nope, not a sound," Elijah told him. Although the conversation was intriguing to me, I was slowly starting to get anxious and I wanted to get out of the carriage already. Shortly after discussing the details of their mission, we we're summoned to go back to the Rainsworth manor. For what, I didn't exactly know but at least we got to leave Pandora. Alice, who apparently was mad at me for leaving her all by herself in the bedroom, was giving me the silent treatment as she looked the opposite window. In fact she told me that she wasn't going to talk to me for a whole day as punishment for leaving her behind; something about Sharon teaching her new methods of 'man-handling' and what not. I think it was about time I had a stern talk with Sharon about that. As I too looked out the window, I could see the Rainsworth estate come into view as we came in through the pass; the carriage then jolted into a quicker pace. The morning dew glistened upon the windowsill as they slowly began to trail down.

* * *

**{A/N}:** **Obvious changes to this chapter as well, though I'm almost done. Please bare with me a little bit longer.**


	14. Faint

{A/N}: Changes done to this chapter as well

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Faint} ~_

* * *

"Now, allow me to get this right, once more if you don't mind," said Lula as we walked along the dirt road, heading towards the inner gardens.

"You came out here, risking your current state and what, all in hopes of seeing your brother and horse, correct?"

"Yes," I mumbled, looking down.

"Well, well, if you don't call that willpower then I don't know what is," she chuckled. I quickly looked off to the side, nodding my head. Shortly after our embarrassing encounter, _Lula_ had dragged me into the kitchen and insisted that she make me breakfast before escorting me out on '_the tour'_, incapable to keep up with the excuses I invented however, I eventually told her the real reason why I was there in the first place. But just as I was finished explaining the situation, she then insisted that she'd join me on my pursuit. Unable to deny her, I allowed her to come along. Soon after that, she took me out into the back section of the manor, where hence from there, began our tour.

"Now judging by the looks of things, I fear that this will not be an easy task to accomplish in your state. However, as long as you're determined, it will be fine," she said. I then looked up and nodded my head. "I'll do my best," I said to her. She smiled as she came to a stop in front of an earthen stairway.

"As you can see from here, that below is the inner courtyard. Of course we're above it but once we've made our descent; all the way to the right, there is a small opening leading towards the fields. Your brother should probably be around the front as he is new," she explained as we began to climb down. However, I only got to about the fifth step before I stopped. The courtyard was unbelievably stunning. The entire inside was boxed in by spiral granite columns that stood majestically riding alongside the small garden it bounded. Unlike the hedge maze from the night before, flowers of almost every color grew in these parts; with small trees bristling alongside its barriers. A cool breeze brushed through my face and hair as it encircled the corridor.

"Beautiful isn't it? Although it's a bit diminutive, this is actually where most of the _Gardenias_ tend to grow," said Lula as she placed her hands on her hips. I quickly looked up at her, dubious. "_Gardenias…?_"

"Yes, Gardenias," she replied, smiling. I smiled along with her; I couldn't remember the last time I had seen a Gardenia.

"They're quite beautiful really, almost reminds me of—_oh poo!_" she suddenly exclaimed. Surprised, I glanced to see if she was alright.

"I had completely forgotten about that…uhm, Clarise dear, do you mind if I head back for a bit. I was meaning to go along with you however I just remembered something rather important that I need to take care; will you be alright down here by yourself?"

"Oh of course that's fine; take your time," I smiled. She smiled back as she began to climb back up the steps. "I promise I'll come back to get you, try not to get yourself into trouble," she warned.

As soon as she had left, I let out a heavy sigh and meekly glanced down the stone passage; the wind gently echoed through the small corridors. '_Well, I see no harm in looking about just for a little bit,' _I that, I began towander down the cobblestoned path. Leisurely, I stretched my arms above me and then put them behind my back. The wind was still blowing past my figure when I glanced to my right. The dim sunlight beamed down through tiny holes made within the vines curtaining the entrance way; they glittered prettily as it swayed with the wind; arousing my curiosity. Making sure no one was around; I took off my shoes and walked to go into the garden. I didn't know why but something about the atmosphere had altered, making my entire being want to adapt to it. Walking over to a small maple tree that was hidden in corner to the right; I couldn't help but want to reach out and touch its leaves; their withered yet tender skin tingled within my hands as I caressed them.

* * *

'_Silly little girl…,'_

* * *

Gently, I released them from my hold. A gust of wind then blew them into the sky. I merely watched them as they danced; literally in tune with the air above.

* * *

'_What are you doing in such a place like this…?'_

* * *

But then, all the sudden I heard a dull echo rise up from behind me. It wasn't clear at first but as it got louder, I could hear my name being called out.

"_Miss Clarise!?_" exclaimed a voice from behind; shattering the ambiance. An unknown hand then grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to turn around. I gasped when I saw who it was; his expression alarmed.

* * *

'_This body shall not be mine…!'_

* * *

"_Miss Clarise what in God's name are you doing out here?!_" he exclaimed. "_Don't you realize that you could catch your death in this condition? You're not even allowed to be in here, who let you out?_" he interrogated. I flinched as I tried to find my voice.

"I-I—?" I then looked away and placed my hand on my head, holding it. '_What was that just now…?' _I wondered. He clutched my shoulders even tighter."_Miss Clarise?!_" Still holding my head, I feigned a smile and looked back up at his face.

"I-I'm alright, really I am. I just feel…a little shaken is all," I assured. He eyed me warily at first but then let it go. Letting out a small groan, he loosened his grip.

"That's probably because I startled you; nonetheless, given the circumstances you almost gave _me_ an infarction, I didn't expect you to be out, especially in here," he breathed. Shaking off whatever unease I had, I widened my smile. "Sorry Mr. Reim, I didn't mean for you to get worried,"

"Its fine but we need to get you back inside. I wouldn't want for you to get any worse than you already are," he said, pulling on me.

"_No wait; but I can't go back!_" I exclaimed, frantically trying to hold my ground. Reim looked back at me and raised his eyebrow, confused. "Well why not?" I quickly searched my head, looking for an excuse.

"Well because! B-because, I—?" Reim continued to stare at me, now growing suspicious. "I—?" My eyes then went over to the ground ahead of us. My shoes lay barely noticeable under a bush beside the entrance.

"Because I don't have my shoes! _Heh_, I left them somewhere around here but I just can't seem to find them," I laughed nervously, hoping that he would buy it. He then looked down at my feet and shook his head. "O-oh well, then do you remember where you last put them?" he asked. "No I can't, I'm sorry," He then turned around and grabbed the bridge of his nose.

"Well then I'll help you look for them, the sooner the better," he said as he walked to the middle of the garden, but just as he began to rummage around the bushes, the sunlight had casted him into a different perspective, allowing me to see for what he really was. My smile slowly began to fade as I looked at him. His face was pale and ghastly, and his eyes were slightly bloodshot and weary; even his movements suggested that he wasn't well. I frowned in concern as I walked towards him.

"And are you absolutely certain that you can't remember where you last put them?" he asked as he continued to look.

"_Mr.__Reim?_" I called.

"I mean this garden isn't even big! If not by now, at least we would've t—," he stopped mid-sentence as I knelt down beside him. He flinched, due to surprise as I cupped his face within my hands.

"_Mr._ _Reim, are you alright?_" I asked as I looked into his eyes. He stood there agape and blinked several more times before he responded. "_M-Miss Clarise…?_" he inquired. His russet coloured eyes looked me over as he cautiously grabbed my hand, over lapping it. "_O-of course…I'm alright…_," he assured, looking sincere. He then grabbed both my hands and pulled me up with him. He then chuckled lightly as he stared at our hands.

"I'm fine, Miss Clarise," he repeated. I frowned, knowing that he was not telling the truth. After a few seconds, he then hastily let go. His face grew red with embarrassment when he realized how long we had held hands.

"I uhh, _aheh_…do forgive me but…we are wasting time. We should hurry and _um_, find your shoes…," he nodded. With that, he began to look for the shoes once more. I was just about to pry further until I suddenly felt dizzy. I tried to shake it off, but that only made it worse. I then heard Reim call out my name. Before I could react however I fell down on my knees, breathing heavily as I held onto the ground.

"_Miss Clarise!_" shouted Reim as he then came down beside me; taking hold of my shoulder. "_Miss Clarise are you alright?_" he pried. Still able to sit up, I nodded my head. "Y-yes, I'm fine. I just felt a little light-headed for a moment," I told him.

"Well if that is the case, then we're going to have to forget all about your shoes for the time being. It is become obvious that you are in need of your rest," he then said.

"Oh but Reim I-,"

"No excuses, miss Clarise. I will not have you collapsing out here!" he urged.

"_My, my calm down Reim. It's not like she's dying,_" scolded a familiar voice from above.

Reim stopped flustering and looked up. Right above us sat Break, perched on top of a stone brace amongst the canopy frame. He stared down at us with an amused expression. "_Though I must say, it is utterly amusing to watch you react as so,_" he said, tilting his head to the side. Reim clenched his fists and glowered at him. "Xerxes!" he shouted in surprise. Break then jumped down from his spot and landed gracefully right in front of us. "Do tell me Reim, are you always this flustered whenever young girls are involved?" he teased as he brushed himself off. Reim gawked at the insult but then quickly regained his composure. "What _are_ you implying?!" he exclaimed, slightly blushing.

"Nothing perverse if that's what you're thinking~," Xerxes then laughed.

"_How dare you think I'm thinking something of that wicked nature Xerxes! We're in the presence of a lady might I remind you, where are you manners?!"_ cried Reim. Break rolled his eye and sighed. He then sauntered over to me and tilted his head to the side, raising a brow. "Ha, some lady," he sniggered as he eyed me. "Just by looking at her I can already tell that she doesn't even have a corset in place, not to mention stockings," he laughed. Appalled and taken aback by his words, I hastily reached over to cover my chest and pull down my dress. My face grew red with rage and embarrassment.

"_Xerxes!"_ Reim yelled. In response, Break rolled his eye and turned around, walking towards the stairway. "In any case, are we going to head back, or not?" he then said.

Reim stared at him in bewilderment. "Come now, you wouldn't want the _'the lady'_, to collapse now would you?" said Break as he began to walk further to the entrance. Reim flinched at his words, surprised. Break then looked back at me. "It would honestly be a pain to carry you back if you fell ill once more you know," he smirked.

Before I could respond to him Reim looked to me and held my hand. "Never mind this moron; are you able stand and walk?" He asked me as he adjusted his glasses. Break smiled and turned back around. Clenching my hand into a hard fist, I nodded my head. "Yes, I'll be fine on my own," I told him, determined to prove that insufferable man.

* * *

"Are we there yet?" groaned Elijah. "I'm gettin' pretty tired of walkin',"

"We get there when we get there! So stop whining," grumbled Gil, his frustration escalating. We were already inside the manor heading towards our next destination. Apparently the business we had was with Break; we were scheduled to go meet in the main library but because he was either late or not present, we were sent to go meet in the small gallery.

"I think it's just a little ways further, but we'll be there soon enough," I said, trying to ease the growing tension.

"Good, I'm really getting bored here," Elijah quietly muttered. Michael smirked, amused.

"_Jeez, _not even five minutes in and already you want out? What does it take to keep you entertained? " Elijah looked off into the side. "Apparently a lot these days, and for all that its worth, this 'business' you guys have better be important!" he shouted the last part to Gilbert.

"Elijah please," Jennifer scolded.

"I swear Elijah if one more word comes out of your mouth I will shut it for you!" growled Gilbert.

"Ooh I'm so scared, _haha_,"

"Gil?" Gil rubbed his temples, exhausted.

"Oh my God, _he_ will be the death of me," he whispered, grinding his teeth.

"What was that? _You love me?!_" Elijah retorted in disgust.

"_**Oh my God!**_**" **Gil screamed, clearly growing more and more upset.

* * *

"Alrighty then; it's done," acclaimed Lula; cupping her hands, looking up at the golden gates. "Thanks so much for helping me Odi; I don't know what I would've done without you," Odin then jumped down from the ladder and landed right beside her.

"No need to thank me. As long as you're here, those gates won't be much trouble anymore," Lula nodded her head in agreement. "Yes; the Lady Sheryl did say that it was opening more frequently, though now with this particular seal it shouldn't be opening at all," Odin walked up to the golden bars and tapped the now fastened bolt that entwined them. "Though the thing was, was that it would just _creak_ open, not necessarily open all the way,"

"Regardless, it was an issue that needed to be solved. We wouldn't want any unexpected '_visitors_' from the Abyss now would we?" asked Lula as she began to head for the stairs. Rubbing the back of his head, he let out a small chuckle. "_Ha_, nope, we certainly would not want that," he frowned. He then reached over to pick up his toolbox. "Though what could come out of it anyways? Owl's already in the hands of the duchess," he said. Lula then looked back at the gates, now in doubt. A slow and uneasy feeling churned in the pit of her stomach. However, she shrugged it off and turned back around.

"True, but you never know; anyhoo I am _extremely_ exhausted; I can't wait to go back up to my room and relax. It has been a _long_ morning," she sighed, heading up the steps. At first, Odin nodded his head and looked away but then turned back around, confused. "But wait, aren't you supposed to get back to that person you left behind? You know, in the courtyard?" Lula turned around and tilted her head to the side and frowned.

"Hm, what person?"

"That person you were talking about? You said it was important and that you needed to go back? To go get them…?" he hesitated on the last part. Lula shook her head, still not understanding the question. "I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about...," then after a little bit, her eyes widened in realization. "Oh my Lord, _Clarise!_" she exclaimed, immediately running up the steps. Odin raised an eyebrow. "Oh…well it's nice to see that you still haven't changed after all these years ya wait_ what?!_ _Clarise?_ _What in blue blazes is she doing with you!? She's not even supposed to be outside! Lula! Lula!_" he shouted after her, but it was too late. He then dropped his tools and ran after her.

My legs grew tired as we walked up the stairs and into the manor. The door that I had originally come out of was locked so we had to trek all the way to the other side, right where the small gallery was at. To be honest, my entire body ached with each movement we took; however, I wasn't going to let that man berate me any further than he already had. By the time we entered the room, I grabbed hold of a couch beside me, leaning on it to steady my figure.

"Miss Clarise are you alright?" Reim asked. The concern on his face was clearly visible. It took me awhile before I could respond to him. "_Yes, I'm alright,_" I said, though it sounded more like a whisper. Reim smiled as he overlapped my hands with his. Break yawned jadedly as he began to walk away. "Well, I suppose if everything is alright, then do you mind leaving?" he said as he got out a piece of candy from his pocket. Reim's smile then turned into a surprised scowl.

"Wait what? What do you mean _leave?_ What are you up to?" he pried.

"Well I was going to the library but judging by the time, I don't think it will be available," Reim flinched as he then got to his feet. "That wasn't a full answer!" I tiredly looked at them, unsure of what else to do.

"How is it not? I have some very important business to take care of, which requires me to be ready and focused once my guests have arrived," replied Break as he placed the piece of candy in his mouth.

"_**What guests?!**_"

"_I swear to God I'm going to kill you if you don't shut up!_" threatened a voice from the left. We all looked to the left; Break blinked confusedly before he smirked. "Or this could work just as well," Reim glared at him, tetchily. "_Xerxes!_"

Then, a man with curly black hair pushed open the side doors as he stormed in. He was wearing almost the exact same uniform as Michael that day, except for a few minor details. Behind him came five people, all but one of them wearing the same uniform. "_Jeez_, I was just asking a question, what's the big deal?" asked a boy from the group.

"No, you asked _six_ questions! _Six_ questions in total and you are driving me _insane!_ Please, for the love of God, just_ shut up!_" he yelled, but the boy wasn't paying attention to him. In fact none of them were, for all their attention was focused on us.

"_Uhm_…_Gil?_" implied another boy next to him.

"What? What is everybody looking a—?" He too then stopped and stared right at me. I blinked confusedly as I stared back at them.

"Clarise?" pried one of the boys; it was Michael.

"Gilbert, Oz; how nice it is of you to show up! And just in time as well~!" Suddenly the doors from behind us slammed open; Lula and Odi both stormed in, looking frantic.

"Oh no Odi I lost her! I knew I should've taken her with me! If she isn't in the fields then where could she be?" flustered Lula. But Odi had already spotted me. Tilting his head to the side, he pointed over to me.

"Uh, right over there…?" he pointed out. I could literally feel myself shrink inside myself with shame._'Oh God…,'_

* * *

**{A/N}:** **Changes, changes, changes but I'm almost done!**


	15. Night

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ { Night} ~_

* * *

Beatrice jadedly wandered through the dim corridors of the quiescent manor. Noticing that everyone else had already gone to bed for the night, she began to do her evening rounds. It was her obligation to make sure that everything was neat, secure, and in its place so that the next day, everything would be ready to fall into routine once more. A gentle breeze suddenly blew in from the windows from her right. As she stood in front of them, she began to untie the curtains, leaving them to fall down ever so slightly so that the moonlight would still be able to shine through. She sighed in fatigue. This week had been very demanding for all the servants of the household, including for her. Even though they had accomplished a lot of the headway due to the result of the season's events, there was still a lot of work to be done. "Goodness, at this rateI'll surely become an old woman…," she whispered cynically. After letting down the drapes, she began to walk away. However, it only seemed as such until she stopped, mid-stride.

"_Hmph_, although I do hope you realize that, that was only just a figure of speech, _Xerxes_," she scowled at his name. A low, amused chuckle then arose from behind the second drape; the wind had picked up and carried it slightly, revealing him to be leaning against the wall. His mouth stretched into his usual grin. "Don't think that I have lost the ability to sense when you're near. Let us remember that you have _yet_ to surprise me," Beatrice added. Break's grin widened. "_Ouch_, I resent that you know," he snickered. Beatrice rolled her eyes. "And don't think that I haven't noticed you following me either; what is it that you want?" Break laughed callously as he pushed himself off the wall.

"Dear me miss Beatrice, just because I was in the same hallway as you were doesn't necessarily mean I was following you~," he sneered. Beatrice glared at him coldly, her patience beginning to recede. Break finally shrugged and held his hands up in defense. "Fine, fine; I suppose I'll just get straight to the point then," he sighed. Beatrice continued to glare at him. Gripping his cane, he began to twirl it from side to side.

"Do you have the information I asked for?" he inquired, his eye following his cane.

"As a matter of fact I do, it's all been documented and filed in this envelope," she said.

"Oh I knew I could count on you miss Beatrice~! Thank you oh so very mu-,"

"I wouldn't thank me just yet Xerxes, for I don't plan on giving it to you just yet," she cut him off. Confused, Break stopped his cane. "I have a proposition; I ask you two things first, and then I'll give you the envelope _hm?_" she said. Break flinched, somewhat baffled by Beatrice's response. "_Excuse me?_" he scoffed. "Don't get haughty with me Xerxes, after all, it's the least you can do after what you put me through," said Beatrice, sharply. Break then sighed and glanced off to the side. "So it would seem that you're still not going to let that go, _eh_?" he muttered. Beatrice raised her eyebrow. "Well, how bout it?"

Hesitant, he glanced back up at her. His grin now turned into a hard smile. "Fine…what is it that you want to know?" he asked.

"First things first, just so we're clear; I can easily tell when you're lying to me. So don't you dare get any ideas," Break chuckled, this time slightly irritated. "Whatever; _fire, at will_,"

"Question number one: Why is it that Pandora is still unable to find a suspect for the '_Musicbox_' murders?" she grilled. Break frowned, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "It's already been a week since they laid hands on the case and they still have yet to come up with anything else besides the title. What on earth is going on?"

"Goodness, I didn't realize that you had such a strong interest about this particular case. Should I have known about it beforehand, I probably would've never asked you to perform the task?"

"It's much too late for apologies; now tell me, what is going on?" Break hesitantly began to twirl his cane once more. Then he spoke. "Well don't get your knickers in a bunch…as you said so yourself, it has only been a _week_. However, I admit that, that also does not excuse the reason why we're taking so long. Generally with a case like this, we would've taken care of it easily, without any tribulations and we would've done it in less than a few days. However…," he paused. Beatrice raised her head, glaring down at him. "…with every ounce of evidence that we receive after one incident. The next one seems to dismiss the whole thing entirely," he finished, sounding disappointed. Beatrice wearily grasped the edge of her dress, puzzled.

"Even though the victims that the killer chooses do not show a discrepancy of any kind, they still seem a little unusual. While normal chains attack whoever is there, this one, attacks people with certain…_attributes_," Beatrice cringed at the last part of his sentence.

"And to top it, there are never any witnesses. Even our agents have a difficult time getting a photograph of him. So with no one having ever _seen_ the perpetrator, or the crime itself being committed for that matter, who could possibly be a suspect? For right now, all we have is an alias and loose rumors; while some say it is being caused by _one_ sole person, it could very well be the doing of two, maybe even more,"

"So…it's an even bigger threat than the '_Headhunter_' case," she assumed, holding her chin. Break shrugged. "I suppose, saying if there isn't any other example," he nodded.

"Edmond and Odin…they haven't found anything else?"

"Nope…nothing as of yet," he answered. Beatrice shook her head, her mind was somewhere else. "But really, why the sudden curiosity?" When Beatrice didn't respond, he continued to question. "You never once were interested in our actions; why now?" he pried. Beatrice still didn't respond; her eyes fixated on the windows.

Realizing he wasn't going to get a response, he smiled and looked away. "So, is that all you wanted to know? Or did you say there was more?" he asked her, swishing is cane playfully. Taking in a deep breath, she then looked at him. "Well of course, I still have one more question. Lucky for you however, it no longer involves the case or anything else regarding Pandora for that matter,"

"Well then by all means please, continue~," Break smiled. Smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress, she spoke, hesitantly. "How is the girl? Dawson I mean," she had asked. Break eyed her suspiciously.

"Dawson who?" Break asked, not really paying attention.

"You know to whom I'm referring to Xerxes. Clarise…Clarise Dawson, how is she?" Beatrice prodded.

"Oh that person, ha, how _is she _you ask? Odd, and here I thought that you were the one keeping tabs on her," said Break.

"I know, I should be but, this week has been so frenzied I…couldn't find a chance to see how she was doing," she wondered. Break stared at her for a good while before answer. "Well, to be honest there's really not much I can say. Rachel did say something about her sleeping spells getting longer, however all in all, she seems to be doing fine," he said, massaging his shoulder.

"Clearly I was mistaken. As it is, I dread that something isn't right," Beatrice clenched at her dress. Break nodded his head and smiled. "Well I suppose I did pick up on a few _other_ things…," he started. With this, Beatrice almost lit up when Break raised his hand as if to stop her. "But…I cannot say I am a hundred percent sure," he finished. Sighing heavily, Beatrice began to turn away. "Well whatever the case may be, I am counting on you to figure out whatever is going on, on both accounts, and soon," she said solemnly. Break began to chuckle. "We'll see. After all, my interest tends to wane after a while,"

"I pray that it doesn't this time…," Beatrice muttered, finally giving him the envelope. After receiving it, Break then began to walk over to the exit. But before he could leave, he turned around towards her again. "Though really, I must thank you for this miss Beatrice. And also…I suppose I do feel the need to apologize to you for going through with my reque—,"

"I would suggest you continue on your way before my last bit of serenity fades, Xerxes. As I already told you; it is much too late for apologies," she ad-libbed, cutting him off. Break blinked a couple of times before shrugging and turning away.

"Oh well, suit yourself. I simply thought you would at least want to hear it; after all you've been through. If I have another task, I'll notify you," he yawned. And with that, he disappeared into the shadows. When Beatrice finally acknowledged that she was alone, she took in a deep breath, and held her chin up high. Grasping her hands in front of her lap, she silently muttered to herself.

"_Much too late…_,"

* * *

**{A/N}:** **Alright, I'm done with changes! Now I shall be coming up with the newest chapter!**


	16. Chance

**{A/N}: ****The fifteenth chapter is here! And yes, I AM NOT DEAD! I'm really, really sorry for the late update though. I had so many exams and grades to worry about when I was in back in school…it was bad:/ But now it's Christmas Break and a new chap is here now so I'd hope you take that as a good thing:) **

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Chance} ~_

* * *

"_Clarise!_ Clarise, could please you come out into the laundry room for just a moment!" called Rachel from down the hall. Immediately I stopped what I was doing and twisted my head, facing the doorway. "_Coming!_" I responded. Finished with the curtains, I stepped down from the stool that I was standing on and patted the remaining dust off my apron. After fixing the bed and tidying up what was left, I gathered my things and went out the door.

It had already been two weeks since I had arrived at this place. And although I could say that my time here had been somewhat chaotic, the transition itself was successful. As I approached the end of the hallway, I stuck my head inside of the laundry room.

"Yes?" I called out. Rachel, who was busily attending to the laundry basins, whipped her head around and sighed in relief. "Oh good you're here. Come, we need your help pinning up this last quilt," she said, setting down her basin. I followed after her where she led me outside. When we stepped into the yard, I saw that the other maids were already gathered around a clothing line holding a rather large quilt. Annie handed a portion of it to me as I got in line with the rest of them. After checking to see if everyone was in place, Rachel then gave out the signal. "Ready? _One, two, three!_" We then pushed the quilt up into the air and stretched it as it came down onto the line. The twine tightened under the quilt's weight as it began to settle. "_Welp_, that's the last of em'!" piped May as she shaded her eyes, looking up at the rest of the linens.

"Yep, and now that that's taken care of, we can all start on the _other _batch of linens…yay…," Annie then muttered, gloomily turning away.

"Oh well…why don't we all just take a small time out? An hour or so; Beatrice isn't even here and we've been working rigid since the early morn. I think we deserve a little rest, what do you say?" May suddenly suggested. Everyone then stopped what they were doing and turned their heads in surprise.

"_Eh? Really?! Could we?!_

"_Come to think of it, I haven't seen Beatrice all morning,"_

"_Won't we be scolded?"_

"_By who, only an hour right? Oooh can we, please Rachel? Pleeease?" _They all turned to Rachel eagerly. The poor girl nervously held her hands up in defense. "W-well I-,"

"_Pleeeeeeeease!" _They begged. Seeing no way out, Rachel had no choice but to give up. "…well… I suppose we could. I don't see why not," she said. And sure enough, our 'rest hour' had begun.

* * *

"Well then that settles it," breathed Reim as he filed the remaining papers on his desk. "Everything should be set and ready as of this moment," he finished. Break, who was sitting opposite from him, was glancing off to the side looking uninterested.

"You know, you could at least 'act' more enthusiastic. With these papers finalized, we have an agreement with the board. At last we can transfer ourselves and our units out of this '_Musicbox_' case. Of all the people I thought you'd be more content about this," Reim reproached. Still, Break said nothing.

"Xerxes are you listening to me?" pried Reim, now getting irritated. Stirring a little in his seat, Break finally looked up at him. "_Hm? _I'm sorry Reim did you say something?" Break asked, gazing at him with a bored expression. Reim warily raised his eyebrow. "I'll take that as a no," he answered as he rolled his eyes and got up out of his chair. "So I'm assuming something else is on your mind, correct?" he said, walking over to the tea cart beside them.

"Ah Reim you know me so well~," smiled Break, feigning the sincerity in his voice. Shaking his head, Reim proceeded in pouring himself a cup of tea. "Well…may I ask what it is that has your attention then?"

"Not at the moment no but…perhaps later. Much later," said Break as he got out of his chair. He then began to walk over to the divan where he left his jacket and cane. Reim saw this but did not say anything. Instead, he waited until Break made his way closer over to the doors. "You know…I actually thought that you would be more upset than pleased with the news of transfer," he started, momentarily stopping Break. "Since you did have your eyes set upon the case," Hearing this Break managed to let out a small chuckle. "Indeed I did, but as you said before, it would've turned out to have been a irksome burden to carry along with our other duties,"

"Exactly, I'm glad that you finally see it my way," agreed Reim as his hand cautiously touched the side of his ribcage. Break simply nodded his head and continued to look towards the doors. "Ah, before I forget, Lord Chaucer of the Royal Guard is to have a meeting with the four dukes tomorrow in the evening. You are to report to Pandora in the main hall as a witness before he and his subordinates arrive. Understood?" Break then unlatched for the handle bar as he began to walk out into the hallway. "_Of course~_" he smirked. And with that, he was gone. Reim let out a sigh of lethargy as he went back to his chair.

"Of course…,"

As soon as Break had shut the doors behind him, he slightly leaned up against them. He chuckled to himself as he brushed back his bangs from his head. "God…really who does he take me for? Giving up on this assignment, that will be the day~!" He laughed. Then, after leisurely glancing around his surroundings, he found a cupboard sitting beside the curtains and quickly slipped inside of it.

* * *

"My goodness, it hasn't even been ten minutes and already I feel like raising hell in this place!" Annie smirked as she stretched her arms. "Annie please refrain yourself from doing so. I don't want to be in even more trouble than I already am!" groaned Rachel close behind her. "Oh come off it Rachel it's not like the worst has already happened! So what if all the girls had gone, we still have plenty of time left and it's not like miss Beatrice will be here to notice,"

"Oh that's right, she and Chloe stepped out this morning, I wonder where?" I pondered.

"_Ha_, that's easy for you to say! _You're_ not the one who was left in charge!" Rachel retorted.

"_And for good reason at that_," muttered May as she rolled her eyes.

"I do beg your pardon May? No one asked for your opinion!" snapped Annie, silencing her for the moment. I couldn't help but smile. It had only been five minutes into the break when suddenly everyone decided to split up and go their separate ways while leaving us behind. I was too entranced with my own thoughts that I failed to notice that May and Annie were still arguing.

"Well perhaps if you would show a little bit more maturity and be less of a sloth, then perhaps Beatrice wouldn't consider you a twit,"

"Oh really now, she thinks that? I beg to differ but I believe she considers _you_ the twit!"

"Ladies, ladies please stop arguing, someone will hear us!" hissed Rachel. But to her dismay, neither of them listened. They continued to bicker in all the way into the next hallway. Rachel hung her head with frustration. "Sweet Mary…we have to catch up with them before they attract anymore attention," she heaved. "I just hope that Beatrice doesn't return too soon. Most of the chores haven't even been finished yet," Hearing this, I then came up with a brilliant suggestion.

"Oh well then, why don't I go back and see what I can finish!" I offered, fervently. "_W-what?_" Rachel stuttered, baffled. "The chores; that way you can go and gather the others and not have to worry so much about the chores being tended to. Don't worry, I take care of it," I said. "No, no I know you can Clarise you're certainly not useless but…I don't wish to place all that trouble on you. It's too much," she said, waving her hand. "Oh please Rachel, let me help. I don't care if it's too much trouble, I can handle it," After staring at me, she let out a sigh and began to walk away, but then stopped and calmly clasped her hands together. "You know, you didn't have to use the chores as an excuse Clarise…," she then said. Confused, I cocked my head to the side. "I'm sorry?" Rachel then turned around to face me; her mouth forming a thin line.

"Please Clarise; don't try to act innocent with me. Although I may not always read to the atmosphere as much as I should, I'm not stupid. I know what you really want," she claimed. I nervously let out a small laugh and then awkwardly began to fiddle with my apron. "So…you noticed?" I smiled, feeling like a child.

"Even someone like me begins to take note whenever something feels mislaid," she said. "Although you have been working hard along with the rest of us, your eyes seem to drift every once or often, usually to the laborer's pasture," A small chuckle then escaped from my mouth. "What can I say, my attention span can only take so much," I nodded.

"I'll say," she rolled her eyes as she turned her gaze towards the window beside us. "Unfortunately because the rules states as much,_ not to mention you have been in noted for trying in the past,_ you are not allowed to leave here and go to the fields," she started. "However, knowing that you will mostly likely not stop persisting in going, you have my 'unofficial' permission to leave," she smiled. Exalted, I ran over to her and embraced her. "Thank you so much Rachel! I promise I will not take too long," I assured her.

"_Ah, ah, ah_; I said _unofficial_. Meaning that if you should get caught, _you_, young lady will be the one held responsible, not I," she clarified, though it did not matter to me. "Either way, thank you," I beamed.

"Now remember, walk down the small path leading out of the servants quarters until you reached the small shed, and from there, you'll reach the laborer's pasture," "Ok," I nodded, memorizing her words.

"Tell Aaron I said hello," she winked. "Yes of course, I'll tell him," I told her.

"Well then I suggest you get going before anyone sees you, take caution," And with that she left to go search for the others, leaving me behind. Waving at her as she left, I smiled mischievously. "Oh my, it seems that I've been left all alone with nothing else to do…isn't that right, Hein?" I murmured. Hein, who had been hiding behind a door the whole time, excitedly trotted out and glanced at me. Likewise, he was ready to go. "Ha, well then, let's get going," Hein barked happily as he began to lead the way. However before I could follow him, I remembered something about the laundry that left undone. "Oh hold on Hein!" I heard him huff impatiently as he stopped in his tracks. "I almost forgot that the linen's basin has _be—!_"

"_Hi there~_," greeted Break from inside a cupboard. Unable to react fast enough, I fell back, gasping.

"I say, you're awkwardness does indeed amuse me. Now more than ever since you've fully recovered from your injuries," he smiled down at me. "It's only a matter of time before you make new ones huh, _miss Clarisse?_" he purred. Letting out a sigh, I got up and patted the dirt off my dress. "Its always the same thing with you isn't, Mr. Xerxes. Do tell me, do you enjoy scaring the living daylights out of people?" I asked.

"Please, you can drop the whole gracious servant act when were alone. Plus I don't really appreciate the '_Mr._' much; it's sounds too atypical," he said as he then got out of the cupboard. "Well then if there's nothing left to be said, I'll be leaving now," I told him.

"_Ah~_, now there's the Clarisse I know, terrible attitude and all,"

"My name is **not **Clarisse!"

"Yes, yes I know you mustn't remind me," he yawned. Already fed up with his usual antics, I threw my hands in the air and turned to other way. Break, however, quickly came around and blocked me. I glared at him as he stood in front of me. Seeing this, he flashed a grin. "My, my…there's no reason to show me such ferocity. It's not like I'm going to eat you," Ignoring his remark, I continued to glower. "_What is it that you want?_" I seethed, clenching my hands.

"Oh come now, do I always have to '_want_' something in order to talk to you? Here, I have a suggestion; why don't you and I just be friends! That way you won't have to be so hostile towards me~," he exclaimed cheerily while flapping his sleeves. I raised my brow in slight disgust. "Sorry, but I would much rather lick the dirt off my horse's shoes than do that," I scoffed. "Now if you please, just leave me alone," I then walked around him and called for Hein who apparently hid himself behind an empty tea cart once Break appeared. It wasn't too long before I began to hear Break chuckling to himself.

"Ha, ha…you know I really don't see why you have to show me so much revulsion, but if you insist, I'll leave you as be," he sniggered. "However I'm afraid that only means that I can no longer address you as an equal," he then said. "But as your _higher-up~_," Confused, I turned around to face him once more. "Oh? And whatever happened to dropping the whole gracious servant act?" I questioned.

"Well that was when I wanted to befriend you and hoped that you would consider my offer, but instead you insisted on me leaving you be and, as the gentleman that I am, I let you have your way," he countered as he began to walked closer to me. "But now because of that, I am forced to go back to the natural order of things," he sighed. "So to start things off, I simply must inquire; where are the other maids and why aren't you with them?" His question had completely caught me off guard.

"Tha…that is none of your concern," I told him as I began to walk away, but not until he grabbed hold of my hand, stopping me. "I'm afraid that isn't how this is going to work, miss Clarisse," he said, pulling me back towards him.

"_Let go of me!_" I cried, trying to resist. I could hear Hein growl threateningly as he came out from the cart. "Now, now do you truly wish to make this harder on yourself? You know I could have you punished for not following orders and resisting," he warned, still gripping my hand. "_You wouldn't dare!_" I fumed.

"Dear me miss Clarisse is that a challenge?" he sneered. Now even more than before I fought back. Hein snarled and barked viciously as he started to inch closer to him. But it wasn't until a woman's voice rang out from the front of the hallway that stopped us before things could get any worse.

"_**XERXES!**_" the voice roared. I took that opportunity to yank my hand out of his and drift off to the side. All three of us just stared at her as she came right at us. "There you are! I've been searching throughout this entire bloody mansion for your ungrateful ass," she muttered. The woman had fierce crimson hair that curled elegantly along her shoulders and eyes that looked like they could pierce even the thickest of amour. She wore the same uniform as Break's however her slender figure seemed to bring out a more feminine look to it. She almost reminded me of a more feminine Reim as her glasses gleamed in the sunlight.

"Well, well if it isn't miss Rebecca~! How nice it is to see you again; how is your family?"

"Don't bother, where have you been? I've been searching for you since four o'clock this _morning! _You gave me your word that you would report directly to Pandora's West library at that time! _What happened?!_ " she interrogated.

"Well you see funny story about that, it actually isn't my fault this time! You see, Michael and I sort of got into this little spat last night and you must've heard, it all happened i—,"

"_**I don't care what you and your adopted son did last night!**_" she screeched. She then turned to me. "Who is she?" she barked. At that moment, Break dragged me back to his side, smiling. "Dear me where are my manners, this lovely young lady here is—,"

"_Clarise!_ My name is _Clarise,_ ma'am…," I cut him off. "Clarise huh? Well then Clarise, you will be my witness," she then announced, pulling out a pen and a piece of paper from her pocket. I flinched. "_Eh?_"

"I will entrust you the privilege of telling me whether or notthis lollygagging idiot here will report to Pandora later this afternoon," she said all while scribbling on the paper. I just stood there in awe, noticing that Break was similarly doing the same. "Here, contact me at this number and hour to tell me if he has left," she then handed me the paper. Immediately after, she turned Break. "And as for you; I will have your ass if you do not show up this time. Do I make myself _clear?_"

"Crystal but I hardly find it necessary to entrust miss Clarise with such a task~," laughed Break.

"And why not? Do not all the maids who work for the Rainsworth's work for Pandora as well?"

"As a matter of fact—,"

"I couldn't care any less," she cut him off once more. "Miss Clarise, I expect you to call me at that hour to let me know if he's gone," Absent minded, I nodded my head in response. "Alright, on that note I take my leave. Remember Xerxes! Your ass is on the line," she warned and as quickly as she came, she left. I was about to do the same thing until Break tightened his grip around me.

"Not so fast miss Clarise. You still haven't answered any of my questions," He reminded.

"Fine, to _answer_ your questions, the others are taking a break and the reason why I'm not with them is because I have to go take care of something. There, are you satisfied?" I confessed. "Well actually now I have a new question and that would be…they're on break?" he then released me. "Who authorized you lot to take a break?"

"Oh like you wouldn't know," I remarked sarcastically.

"Well I know it couldn't possibly have been miss Beatrice,"

"Really, how so?"

"Well because she's been yelling at another servant outside this entire time," he countered, pointing at the window beside us. Noticing the sound of her voice I looked out. I could see Beatrice screaming her head off at one of the missing girls, ruthlessly rebuking her for something. My jaw completely dropped in total dismay.

"Ah…there's one of the maids…," Break ad-libbed as he too stared at them. I couldn't believe. Not even fifteen minutes and she was already back! I could feel my heart drop. "Great…now what am I going to do?" I murmured.

"Do what now miss Clarisse?" Break inquired. Irritated I turned away from the window. "It's nothing,"

"Oh come now we just got of past the whole secrecy thing, what could it possibly be t—,"

"It's nothing for God sakes! Besides…," I stopped myself before I could finish. Break glared at me with a confused expression. "_Besides…?_"

"Here…I have an idea. Why don't you and I make a deal," I proposed to him. Raising his brow, he continued to glare at me.

"A deal?" he asked, trying to get me to finish.

"Yes, a deal. That Rebecca woman wants me to report to her whether or not you head over to Pandora right?"

"Yes but—,"

"I'm not done," I cut him off. Growing annoyed, he hesitantly backed down and glowered at me. "Well, I won't do it…but on one condition,"

"Oh, and what might this 'condition' be exactly?" he pried.

"Take me to go see my brother,"

* * *

**{A/N}: ****This chapter…took me forever to write. I don't know why, but it did. Hopefully next year I will update each month so that ya'll won't have to wait half a year to get a new chapter. Happy Holidays:)**


	17. Lost

**{A/N}: ****It's January and the new chapter is here! I'd like to thank for reviewing, you've made me a happy muffin:D Hope you enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Lost} ~_

* * *

"You know, this isn't what I had expected…," grumbled Break from behind.

"Really, and what were you expecting?" I asked him, not bothering to turn around.

"When you said you wanted me to take you to go see your brother, I didn't expect to go see him and everything else that _surrounded_ him. You do realize that I know of a shorter route right?" he expressed in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Oh I'm sure you do, but unlike you I haven't been outside as much and I don't see why we can't enjoy ourselves on a little outing," I smiled merrily. I could feel Break's perplexed gaze burning holes into my back. "After all, this was a part of my condition~," I reminded him as I twisted my body. His mouth formed itself into a displeased frown as he glanced to his side. "Of course…," he muttered. My smile widened. "Well then, you did say that I have a time limit. So pick up your pace~!" I hurried.

This was it. After so long, I was finally going over to see Aaron! It didn't even take long for Break to agree to take me either. All I did was threaten him with that woman's phone call. Of course, he resisted at first saying that I didn't know a thing about what she was talking about, which was true. However, when I told him that I could easily tell Beatrice about it, he quickly gave in and agreed to take on my deal; though I had a time limit. Regardless, it didn't matter to me; just as long as I got what I wanted.

"So tell me miss Clarisse; just how long have you've been plotting this little 'venture' of yours?" he asked just as we began to climb down a hill. "_Hmm_…since two days after I got here. I have to go see my brother after all and my name still is not '_Clarisse_'. I don't understand…just a moment ago you called me Clarise, what's the problem?"

"No problem, I simply just like to call you Clarisse is all~. _Clarise_ is such an awkward sounding name,"

"Oh, and what about _Xerxes Break?_ What type of a name is that? It clearly sounds much more awkward than mine,"

"Oh please, I'm only saying; what were your parents thinking when they decided to name you that?" he then teased. "My parents…," I repeated. I slowed down my lick until I reached a complete halt. Hein stopped with me and stared at me, puzzled.

"Miss Clarisse?" Break waved his hand in front of my face. "Oh! Uh, well…I wouldn't really know. I've never met my parents," I told him, walking further ahead. I didn't want to see his reaction after what I said.

"Ah…I see," he said.

"So, how long have you've been working for this family?" I then asked him, trying to change the topic.

"Ha, attempting to make small talk with me miss Clarisse? That certainly is very peculiar of you," he chuckled.

"Well, since I figured that we are walking together and the laborer's field looks a bit far, why not? We can at least try to get along with each other for five minutes, right?" I encouraged. He stood quiet as we continued to tread down the hill. "_Hmph_…how long have I been working here? I would say a little more than…fifteen years perhaps," he then answered.

"_Fifteen years?_ Wow…you must've worked here almost all your life then. It must've been fun growing up in a big mansion like this,"

"Yes, indeed it was…," he murmured. The braying of oxen then caught my attention as I glanced to the side. A small herd was being led by a steer heading past the woods ahead. My heart began to pound as I gazed at it. "Oh wow, I never noticed how big these woods were," I mumbled, not realizing that I said it out loud.

"The woods you say?" Break answered, staring in the same direction as I was.

"Oh, uh…no, it's nothing…," I quickly replied, turning away from the scene.

"I see," Break then said

"S-sorry, I was just thinking out loud is all," I told him, hoping that it didn't sound too strange. Break began to chuckle behind me. "I say miss Clarisse; you are indeed a very peculiar girl. What on earth could possibly be going on in that head of you—?"

"Oh look! The field is just up ahead!" I exclaimed. From where I was standing, I could almost see the entire pasture. It made me feel happy just to see the workers close by.

"Almost there," I breathed. I was about to cross over onto the road when Break's arm pulled me back.

"_**Sweet Mary an' Joseph! What the bloody 'ell's wrong with you! Watch where yer goin'!" **_yelled out an old man from a top of a cart rushing past me. I couldn't comprehend what was going on until I felt a sharp tug on my arm again. Break whirled me around to face him; his expression was a mixture of shock and exasperation.

"Are you mad? Did you not hear me shout to you?" he questioned. "He could've killed you if you had walked any further," I blinked a few times before I could come out with a response.

"I-I'm sorry I…didn't see him," I said, completely stunned. Break glared at me in confusion, but relaxed and let go of me.

"Its fine just, _stay_ on _this_ side of the road…I don't want to be held accountable for any accidents that may occur," he ordered. With no right to object, I obeyed and continued to walk along side with him. The entire time we said nothing to each other until we reached the pasture gates. As he was busy talking with the laborers, it gave me more time to look at the forest. Staring at it, it almost reminded me of the woods back home, however, this one seemed more private and closed off. As curiosity would have it, I felt a strong urge to go in and see what was inside.

After Break had finished talking to the work one of the laborers, one of them then signaled the lookout to let us pass. The whole process seemed rather too much just to let us through. Even the fences that surrounded it to the very gates seemed too fortified.

"Alright, now that we've entered, you are to stay close to me at all times. I don't want you getting lost. As you can see, it would be rather difficult to look for your brother if you yourself are missing," he said. I nodded in response, still looking around. The pasture itself appeared normal in every aspect, but what I couldn't understand was why there was so much protection around it? The fence that the surrounded the area was made out of thick tree trunks with watch towers that stood on the end of each corner. Baffling, it was certainly different from the pastures back home.

"Break, can I ask you something?" I then said.

"Weren't we just asking each other questions before hand?" he responded.

"No listen to me it's about this place; why is it so…?"

"So what?"

"…protected? I mean look at it, it's—,"

"Odd? Peculiar? Abnormal even? Why indeed it is, but then again that's what we get for putting a farming pasture next to _that _forest," he answered as he looked up at the wall. "_That forest?_"

"Yes; the forest you see there is the one and only Blackwood Forest," he explained.

"The one and only? Is it famous?" I turned back around.

"Somewhat I'd say, for the dark color of the trees mostly. What, are you saying that they haven't told you about these woods yet?" he then asked.

"No," I told him, but it sure did peak my curiosity even more. "Is there something wrong with it?" Break smirked as he then looked past the wall at the forest. "Oh no, by all means it's just a regular forest, by day that is,"

"By day?"

"Well yes, aren't your forests different by night fall as well?"

"Oh, well, yes but...that doesn't explain why the field is so heavily guarded,"

"Well miss Clarisse I don't know what type of wild animals you have over in America but over here we have bears, boars, wolfs, and lynxes,"

"Really!" I exclaimed, somewhat excited. Break glared at me weirdly. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry; it's just that Nigel told me that those animals were practically extinct over here. I didn't think that there would be any here other than deer and foxes,"

"Well I wouldn't say extinct exactly—,"

"Master Xerxes!" cried a voice. Two young men in uniform had approached us from behind, running straight for Break. They both looked exhausted.

"Preparations for tonight have already been primed sir. All that is left your order of action," one heaved. Break glared at him in confusion and irritation. "What on earth do you mean by preparations and what order? _Speak, Lieutenant Brunson!_" he ordered. The young man that was speaking immediately tensed and straightened up. "Sir didn't you hear? One of our protection seals' has been completely destroyed! We suspect that the perpetrator was a rogue chai—!"

"_Shhhh!_" then shushed Break, grabbing the poor man and pushing the two of them further away from where we were. After that, I couldn't hear a thing they were saying. All I could see was Break harshly chastising the man he called Brunson. Hein had been calmly sitting down beside my leg when he suddenly stood up in alert and ran off towards a shed down below. "_Hein!_" I called after him, but he didn't listen. He continued to run until he reached the shed and went inside. Frantic, I glanced back at Break. He was still talking to the others. Unable to do nothing else; I took one last look and cautiously trudged down the hill towards the shed.

* * *

"Are you retarded? How many times do I have to tell you **not** to speak of Pandora's affairs in front of civilians!?" I growled. Brunson nervously trembled under my gaze. "P-p-please forgive me sir; I just assumed that the girl you were with was just an agent as well," he stammered.

"Dressed as a _maid?_" I asked.

"_B-b-but I thought—?_" Immediately I cut him off. I did not want to hear the rest of that explanation. Instead I breathed in and calmly placed my hands on his shoulders. "Simply keep one thing in mind Brunson: _You are useless, in every way~_," I told him. The poor chap looked like he was about to double over and soil himself. Patting him on one of his shoulders, I shook off whatever annoyance I had and relaxed. His full name, _Jacob Brunson_, had recently joined the organization shortly two years after he had graduated from the University of Oxford. The story goes that he was going to become a lawyer for the House of Commons in London until Lord _Rufus Barma_ set eyes on him and implored the boy to work as a lawyer/servant for Pandora , clumsy and dim-witted in every way; he was indeed **useless**. God only knows why that bird-brained duke hired him.

"Tell me something Brunson; who told you to come find me?" I asked him. Still recovering from my verbal blow, he managed to muster up another explanation. "T-that would be Brigadier Addams sir. He told me that you were the lieutenant colonel who was supposed to be on duty today and ordered me to come find you,"

"Really now," I sighed, clenching the bridge of my nose.

"Y-yes sir. He told me that you were in charge of today's task and that if we had any questions, we would come to you. We are at your command sir," he said.

"I'm sure you are Brunson. Lieutenant Roe; go back to Addams and tell him that there has been a misunderstanding," I ordered. Roe's expression then changed into one of shock. "But sir, the Brigadier specifically said—!"

"I honestly couldn't care less of what that old, pompous fool has to say. As far as I'm concerned he has no control or say over what my orders are. Now if you'll both excuse me, I am done discussing this," I said. Turning around, I expected to see the girl and her mutt behind me. God knows why I wasn't surprised when didn't see them. Turning back around, I smiled at the two gentlemen in front of me.

"Where's the girl I was just with?" I asked, keeping my voice. Both Roe and Brunson glanced at each other in reluctance until Brunson finally spoke. "Uhm, well sir, I saw that her dog had escaped from her and she went after it just a moment ago,"

"Really, and you didn't say anything to me why?"

"_I-I-I-_oh, w-well sir, I figured that what we were discussing was much more important and since you did say that she was a civilian, I assumed it didn't matter t-to you," he stuttered. I could feel the last bit of serenity I had left fly away in the cool autumn breeze.

"Brunson, allow me to give you some advice; '_figure_' and '_assume_' are two very, **very** dangerous words," I told him. He fearfully swallowed the lump in his throat before responding to me. "I'm so sorry sir…p-please forgive me impudence," he croaked.

"_Brunson you are the most incompetan—_,"

"Well, well, well…will you look at what the cat dragged in~," slurred a familiar voice. I slowly looked past Brunson to the road in front. Walking straight towards us, Jethro came alongside with two other laborers. He smiled rather smugly as he stopped only a few feet away from us. "Still bullying those that you deem are below your level I see. It's good to see that you haven't changed. However I never expected the day you'd come grace us day workers with your presence down here in the fields. This truly is a surprise," he spoke. Out of courtesy, I returned his smile.

"Jethro, it's a pleasure to see you again~,"

"Same to you…_Kevin_…,"

* * *

There I was, standing in the entrance of the shed. Everyone who was working inside didn't bother to take a second glance at me. Regardless, I only came to get Hein which I was sure was snooping around in there somewhere. Gathering my courage, I continued to walk further inside. After dodging past a couple of workers, I managed to reach the opening that was connected to a few stables. Looking back, they still didn't want to stop me. It almost felt like I didn't even exist. "What is wrong with these people?" I murmured. Suddenly, a loud crash came from inside one of the stables. Without thinking, I ran inside but as soon as I did I was confronted by a huge cloud of sawdust. On instinct I covered my mouth with my apron and cautiously proceeded to the stable. When I walked in, all I could see was sawdust. I couldn't make out anything else besides the windows in the walls and broken pile of wooden planks on the floor.

"Hello?" I called out. "Is anyone here?" No one responded. Looking down

I saw a couple of rats scurrying past me. I was about to step out until I heard groaning. It was coming from the pile of broken planks. "Hello?" I called again, still no response. "Please, if you're hurt I can help…can you get out?" I asked. I began to inch closer to the planks when they suddenly burst into the air. Letting out a scream, I accidently tripped and hit my head against the wall behind me. I grabbed my head in pain.

"_Oh…oh no…,_" rasped a voice. I glanced up; right above me was the silhouette of a man, hovering over me. His body frame had completely blocked out both of the windows, shadowing the light. "_…Jake…Jake don' bad…Jake don'_ _bad!_" he cried, placing both his hands on his face. As I stared at him, I could see that he was bleeding from his arms. The blood began to trickle down onto the ground in front of him as he trembled.

"Oh my God," I whispered. I wanted to get closer to the man however, as soon as I extended my hand to him, he immediately backed away. "_No…no, no, __**no, no, no!**_" he continued to cry, finally running out of the stable.

"_No wait, stop!_" I yelled after him. Forgetting about my head, I stood up and ran after him. However, just when I thought that I was about to reach him, he had disappeared. I shook my head in disbelief but I wasn't about to give up. Quickly, I turned around to head into the next hallway when I was suddenly shoved back and thrown onto the ground. I had no idea what was happening when I saw a horse screeching and kicking its hoofs recklessly above me. Completely paralyzed with fear, I couldn't do a thing when Aaron swiftly stepped in front of me, attempting to calm the horse down.

"_Whoa, whoa easy boy, easy!_" he soothed. The enormous charger continued to grunt and neigh terrified, but after a few moments, it gradually began to calm down. Aaron smiled proudly as he patted the horse's nose. "At a boy, there we go. Sorry about that miss, Macawi here is just a little skittish is all, still though what the Sam Hill are you doin' runnin' around like craz—," he stopped mid-sentence just as he turned around and faced me. I began to stand up as we both stared at each other. Aaron's bottom jaw shuddered as he tried to find his voice. "Clarise?" he said. I could feel my eyes start to water as I inched closer to him. "Aaron…," Not wasting another minute, I rushed over to him and embraced him. Aaron held me tightly as he started to laugh. "Ha, ha; oh my God, I can't believe it's really you!" He then loosened his hold so that he could see me properly. "I never thought they'd allowed you to come here," he smiled, placing his hand on my cheek. Smiling back, I put my hand on top of his.

"Neither did I…,"

* * *

**{A/N}: ****I'm so glad I finished the chapter on time:) You have honestly no idea how long I've been wanting to get Clarise and Aaron back together. And with this done, I can finally start writing my favorite parts. Please keep supporting this story with your reviews guys. As a writer it really, really, really means a lot to me. And thank you to those who always comment on my writing for the characters. I always think that I do really horrible on them but seeing that your comments say otherwise I feel really good:) Thank you and see you next month!**


	18. Found

**{A/N}:**** Hello everyone I'm back once again:D I'd like to thank all of those people who reviewed, you guys are the best! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Found} ~_

* * *

"Say Elijah, you wouldn't happen to remember when Gil is supposed to come back from Pandora would you?" I asked him. Elijah was leisurely lying on top of Reim's desk with his hands folded behind his head. "Nope, but aren't you his master? I thought you would know," he yawned.

"_Nah,_ I completely forgot. All I know is that he had some business to take care of and would be back later,"

"Well then there's your answer," he laughed uncertainly. Rolling my eyes, I leaned against the back of my chair. "I know but _how much_ later… it's been over two hours. I can't help but feel _bored~_," I groaned.

"Sorry man; can't help you with that. What about your chain? Maybe she knows," he then suggested. Though I already knew the answer, I bent my head backward and looked over to Alice who was gluttonously eating away at her plate full of barbequed meat.

"Say Alice, you wouldn't happen to know what time Gil is supposed to come back now would you?" I asked once again. Not bothering to look back, she continued to go on about her business. "How should I know what time seaweed head is supposed to return? I'm not his keeper," she garbled, still stuffing her face. I figured she was still upset with me from the time we left her behind when we were at Pandora. Disappointed, I returned to my normal position. I shrugged my shoulders as I glanced back at Elijah.

"Well then moving on," he breathed. I started to click my tongue while rocking back and forth when I suddenly remembered. Immediately I sat up straight and glared at Elijah. "_Elijah!_" I exclaimed.

"Yea?" he replied, raising his brow. I blinked a few times before coming up with a proper sentence. "I-I've been meaning to ask you since early this morning but…I never got the chance," I said, rubbing the back of my head. Still staring at me with the same expression he nodded his head. "Ok then well spit it out. You look like you're about to confess your love for me and then ask me out or something," he laughed teasingly.

"I can assure you it is **not** that!" I exclaimed embarrassed. He continued to laugh as he swung his foot below the desk. I quickly regained my composure; however, I wasn't able to look at him like before. "Never mind…it's nothing," I told him, even though it wasn't true. I had wanted to ask him about the events from evening before; between Break and Michael. But for some reason, now I couldn't bring myself to do so. Of course, it wasn't like it was any of my business or anything but…it still didn't feel right.

"If you're worrying about Michael he's fine. Raul and Jethro got to him right after you guys left. Aside from the blood and head wound, all he really got was a few cuts, a couple of bruised ribs and dislocated leg," he nodded. My mouth nearly dropped.

"W-wait what?" I stuttered. He then twisted his head to look at me, expressionless. "I said a few cuts, a couple of bruised ribs and dislocated leg?" he repeated. I blinked for couple of times before letting my shoulders slump. '_Damn, I let my curiosity show too easily, but…?' _I paused. With that, he then stood up and turned towards me. "It's ok if you were just wondering, _heh_, and it's just as I said. Jethro checked him out and that's all he found," I flinched, still dumbfounded, yet I figured it would best to leave it at that. "Oh, alright then," I muttered.

"That was something though wasn't?" he added. Once again I nodded my head. "Oh well, that's what the moron gets for thinking he can go up against the 'strongest man in all of Pandora'!" he laughed as he got up. Confused, I got up as well. "_Eh_, Elijah where are you going?" Elijah went over to the divan and picked both his school jacket and his bag. "_Eeh,_ I feel like bothering Duke Barma for a little bit. You guys want to come?" he offered with a smile. I flinched at the strange invite. "Go and _bother_ Duke Barma? Can you even do that?" I laughed nervously.

"Sure I can! Didn't I tell you that I'm like family to the man?"

"Um no you said that you were one of his personal assistants," I reminded him.

"Oh well yea but, that doesn't mean I can't have fun while I'm around him. C'mon it'll be fine!" he said with confidence. "Plus Raul's going to be there so if you have any more questions regarding Michael, he can answer them for you~!"

"Oh ok then but, before we go, can I ask who this '_Raul_' person is? You throw his name around like I know him or something,"

"Oh, so you still don't know?" he tilted his head.

"Know what?"

"_Raul's his lover~_," he smiled.

"_**EH!?**_"

"Lover? Does that mean that boy's actually a maiden then? Because the books big sister Sharon has shows that only maidens have lovers," asked Alice who had snuck up behind me without my knowledge.

"_N-no Alice no he's not a maiden!_" I exclaimed. Elijah laughed mischievously as he began to make his way towards the door. "Oh my God, that was just too easy! But no seriously, didn't Gilbert or Break, or anyone for that matter tell you?"

"Tell me _what?_"

"He's the equivalent to your Gilbert; Raul's his valet," Again I flinched. "_Valet?_ Michael has a valet?" I inquired.

"_Haha yeeeaaaaaa_, you know what I'ma just let Michael explain that one too. Seriously though I'm surprised no one has told you yet," he snickered. "Or at least I think you would've noticed by now,"

"You know Elijah the more you keep taking about it, the more I'm going to hate you for it," I laughed.

"Don't worry, when we get there you can ask Raul _all_ the questions you want," he joked. "Strange though, if he's Michael's valet, shouldn't he be with him right now?" I followed him. "Duke Barma needed him for something I think, but he should going back by the time we're done. Who knows, maybe we could join him and go to the hospital together," Hearing this, I laughed. "Ha, ha, Gil will certainly be surprised. I wonder how he'll handle it when he sees me there,"

"_Hmph_…you really are somethin' else, Oz Vessalius," Elijah sniggered. "So tell me; how soon did you find out that Gilbert was actually heading over to see Michael?" Putting my hands behind my back, I arrogantly strode ahead into the hallway. "It really didn't take too long. All last night he seemed really uneasy throughout the entire meeting, and in the morning he was anxious, more than usual. When he said he had to go over to _Pandora _to take care of something, I figured that he couldn't take it anymore and decided to go see him. It's funny though, and kind of endearing. I would've never pictured him being close to Michael," I said.

"Well, during the ten years you were gone; as a kid Michael was extremely close to the Nightray family, including Gilbert and his brother. If you ask anybody, he and Elliot were always around him, kinda like puppies. So I wouldn't be too surprised," he informed me. I smiled tenderly as I thought about it. "I'm glad to hear that. Gil certainly has a lot to tell me about the past,"

"Indeed he does. You wouldn't imagine all the stuff that's happened around here in the last decade,"

"I would think so," I replied. The three of us then turned around the corner into the next hallway. Even with that same thought in my head, I still managed to think straight and look at the other side of things. It then occurred to me. "Say Elijah, I heard about the recent assault that happened in the forest nearby and that Pandora was coming over to investigate it. Is Break and Sharon going to be involved?"

"Ha, Break's _more_ than involved. I don't know about the Rainsworth girl but he's to be the commanding officer in charge of the whole operation tonight," he sniggered. Both Alice and I glanced at him with curiosity. His smirk had contorted itself into a sort of crazed smile while his eyes flared with excitement. "_Shit's gonna down tonight, you can be sure of that…,_"

* * *

"So tell me Kevin, what brings you down to the fields?" Jethro inquired as he poured more ale into his glass. I cringed slightly at the mention of my name. Noticing my discomfort, he began to chuckle. "What? Don't tell me your old name offends you now. Or is because we're with company?" he then turned to the men that were behind him. "Boys, if you could let us have a moment alone please?" With that the two laborers that followed us from the field began to leave; though just as they were reaching the door, I couldn't help but notice that the both of them glared daggers in my direction. I smiled to myself as I heard them shut the door, finally leaving the two of us alone. "Now, feel better~?" he smirked. Still smiling, I then began to play around with my glass.

"Heh, it's nice to see that even after all these years you still won't show me a shred of kindness. So much in fact that your attitude seems to have rubbed off on your _subordinates_," I said. He stood silent, just staring at me with the same blasted expression he had always worn. "It's nice, isn't it? To at least _feel_ important~,"

"The only reason I don't acknowledge you with such is because you haven't done anything to deserve it you arrogant prick," he slurred. "But as much as I would love to throw half-hearted insults all day I'm afraid we just don't have the time," Playfully, I held my hands up in front of me, backing off the table. "Dear me Jethro, you're the one throwing insults here not I," I laughed.

"Well if you could cut the pansy shit for at least ten minutes and talk to me like a real man then perhaps we wouldn't have to resort to that,"he then added. "Or, have you already forgotten how? I mean of course, you're practically the Rainsworth's dearly, beloved _pet_…I admit that even for me it would be rather difficult to keep whatever dignity I have with all the _cutesy pampering~_,"

"Ha, ha, a _**pet**_ am I now~?" I laughed. I curled my hand into a hard fist until it trembled, but I did not let my aggravation show. God only knew how much I wanted to sock the old man through his smug wrinkled face; for long time I've wanted to do so. However, too long had I detained and withheld my emotions. I wasn't about to let this old codger get the best of me.

"So, what'll it be?" he raised his brow. As an unknown clock rang the time, I leaned back against the chair and folded my arms in front of me. Glaring sharply, I managed to retain my smirk. "I honestly don't know why you insist on slighting me Jethro. As I recall I have done nothing to give reason for it. Tell me; is there something on your mind?" I asked him, humoring him.

"Sure you haven't…and as a matter of fact there is; but there's no need to play dumb with me. For one it's not like you haven't already noticed,"

"Is that right? Well then would you mind enlightening me then?"

"Let's start with the two men that just walked out and gave you wronged looks; do you know who they are?" he questioned.

"Is there any reason I should? Please do forgive me but I don't necessarily acquaint myself with the laborers," I replied, tapping my fingers against my arm.

"Well then you'd better start. After all you are now the one responsible for each '_unexpected_' casualty that happens on this property," he accused. I began to chuckle once more. "Oh? Is that right, well then please do proceed with more clarification Jethro; for I am truly lost," I jeered.

"_Mason Klein_; the man that was killed three days ago while working in the south fields. Those two men, were his sons," he clarified. "They were the ones working that day when that '_thing_' came out of nowhere and attacke—,"

"You're point being?" I cut him off. Annoyed, he began to crack his knuckles. "Last I recall those men got away unscathed thanks to me," I told him. "Instead of being resentful, shouldn't they be grateful?"

"Maybe, that all depends on how you look at the situation," he said.

"Oh? How so?"

"Well for starters, your men were the ones on duty that day and could have easily prevented Mason's death had they'd been doing their job and not acting like idiots," he calmly retorted. "I beg your pardon, _my men?_ Ha, I'm afraid you're sadly mistaken. Do you honestly think that I have _control _over the actions those imbeciles make?" I then said, silencing him. "If I am in control of anything, it would be over my _own_ actions within Pandora and the wellbeing of the Rainsworth family. I have no ties with any other of Pandora's nonentities, including regular walkthroughs,"

"Not anymore you're not. Judging by what the officials in Pandora have announced, that doesn't seem to be the case for you anymore," he countered.

"Well then if I were you I would stop paying anymore mind to what they have to announce. I've never participated in any of their _group assignments,_ and I would be damned if I started now," I declared.

"Ha, ha, then damned you are. Always the loner of the group I see,"

"When have I never been?" I reminded him. After some time, he finally let out a sigh and looked the other way. "Right, right of course. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually grateful that you managed to at least save his sons back there. Though that's not why they're angry. It was the way you handled it that they're not happy with," he affirmed. Indeed, that one struck me odd. "The way I _handled it?_ You can't be serious," I sneered.

"What they want to know is why you didn't go after the chain and try to save their father," he said. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Without even noticing I let out a small chuckle. "Why even bother…you know why. If I had gone after them and destroyed the chain, all I would've came back with, was the _carcass_ of their father. Speaking of course, if I was lucky to at least _**find**_ one," I retorted. "It would've been a waste of everyone's time,"

"I tried to tell them that believe me, but then again you could have at least played along or treat the situation with a little bit more respect,"

"So what would you have me do? Get down on my knees and give them my sincerest of apologies?"

"That actually wouldn't be a bad idea but of course knowing you…why would you? What difference does it make if small farming family hates you right?" he smirked. I didn't reply. "Oh well, it shouldn't I don't think," he finished, slinking back into chair.

"Well of course it shouldn't, it doesn't matter if one or ten dozen families hate Jethro. Just so long as things get done and I get my way, I couldn't care any less," I grinned.

"Look I didn't make you come all the way here just to bring you hate Kevin. In fact, that wasn't what I wanted to talk to you about," he laughed. "It's actually about your new ranking position in Pandora, you know, as the new head _Lieutenant Colonel of Squadron Five?_" he enlightened. That instantly set me back to the offensive.

"Didn't I already tell you to—,"

"Yea, yea I know, not to listen to what the officials say I know, but at least hear me out. No harm in that right?" he then pleaded. Regaining what little composure I had lost, I began to relax in my chair.

"Although when you really think about it, it really does have a nice ring to it. _Lieutenant Colonel Xerxes Break_…perhaps we can ditch the name but other than that it's nice~,"

"You're really wearing on my last nerve old man," I threatened, trying to keep my calm.

"All right then no more fooling around; let's get straight to the point," he sighed. I rolled my eyes and looked away. "As you probably already know, you have just been named as the head officer in charge of the patrol mission that Pandora is going to carry out tonight,"

"Yes, yes I heard. One of the fortification seals near the Celtic ruins was broken correct?"

"Yes, reportedly just before Mason was killed…,"

"_What I wouldn't give to know the names of the imbeciles who put me in Addams' radar_," I grumbled, drinking out of my glass.

"Who, you mean Duchess Rainsworth and Phineas?" he titled his head. I spat out the ale just as quick as I drank it. "_Eh…?_"

"Wow, thirteen years you've been with the organization and you still don't know how the rankings work? I'm starting to wonder who really is useless round' here," he shook his head.

"_Just what are you implying?_" I seethed.

"I really can't believe you don't know. After ten full years to _any_ order or organization, it's only natural for the lower ranking officers to move on up to bigger titles. And you having already past ten years plus succeeding through most obstacles that would take any man with experience of at least _thirty years _to overcome, it's about time they noticed you, or at least give you a raise of some sort. Everybody knows that," he explained. I was really losing my patience.

"I don't believe you,"

"You don't have to if you don't want but you can't change the truth. I saw _and_ heard the whole thing happen. And knowing the Brigadier it must've been a very easy transfer. Ah yes, how did that blessed conversation go again?" he then marveled mischievously.

* * *

_**~Flashback:**_

* * *

"_Oh Gregory I'm so happy that you managed to pull through with my request to see you. It's just you see, I feel as if Xerx doesn't get enough action being cooped up in the mansion. Granted that he is my granddaughter's valet and that she adores him so, he really should be putting his talents to use! So that they don't get rusty you know! Besides, although he might say otherwise, I just know he could prove to be a great leader to his men. Wouldn't you agree Phinny~," _

"_Oh yes milady, yes indeed! Xerxy's talents are quite wasted over at the Rainsworth's. You lot practically treat him as if he were a babysitter/__**pet monkey**__ for God sakes', knowing full well that he is already a grown man! I believe he would make a great Lieutenant Colonel you have my word on that! Besides, we really must consider his health and I don't just mean his problem with his chain but his physical well being. __**His very appearance!**__ If the boy keeps eating cakes and sugary things at the pace he's going the poor chap will be round and flabby more so than the Queen herself! He may be young now but oh metabolism can only go so far. Sooner or later he'll be losing his hair and wearing a pot belly! Now I know we wouldn't want that right Brigadier Addams!"_

"_Good God man of course not! Very well then, it's settled. Bring in the polls and voters; I'm going to make Xerxes the next Lieutenant Colonel of Squadron Five that I am!" _

"_**YAY!**_"

* * *

_**~End Flashback:**_

* * *

"You really have no shame…do you old man?" I cringed. "There's absolutely no way in hell those words were actually said. You made the whole thing up,"

"Ok maybe I fabricated a bit on Sheryl and Addams' side but surprisingly I think I got Phineas just right," he nodded.

"But there was still no reason for _you_ to be there,"

"That's what I thought at first but apparently they needed a witness so they summoned me,"

* * *

_**~Flashback:**_

* * *

_ "Alrighty then, as soon as I finish up with these papers, Xerxes will be a full fledged Colonel! Jethro you old coot I want you to be witness to this enchanting moment! Tell the boy the news as soon as you see him eh? Hahahahaaaa~!"_

* * *

_**~End Flashback:**_

* * *

"Ok that's it. Clearly I need to head over to Addams' and straighten this whole mess out," I said, getting up from my chair.

"Now, now don't go and do something stupid Kevin after all they only mean well. Though I don't blame them considering how much free time you actually have on your hands. From lollygagging to tea partying to even prancing around the place like an utter retard, I was beginning to wonder when they finally dress you up and call ya' Nana for Christ sake! No wonder they got tired and bumped you up,"

"Well thank you for your concern Jethro it naturally shows," I scoffed through my teeth.

"Plus I know I must've said it might have been easy for him to give you a higher rank but peer recommendations also count in this. So besides Sheryl and Jenkins there had to have been others to help make this happen," he mused. And then it dawned on me…who on earth would have the gall to sell me out and give me up to the superiors just to make their lives easier?

…**Reim**_…_

"I need to go. If that's all you wanted to discuss with me then we're through," I told him, grabbing my coat. "Alright then, go if you must…," he sighed; leaning back on his chair. Anxious to get out I didn't hesitate when I opened the door.

"One last thing though," he then said. "Well then speak now or forever hold your peace, what _else_ do you have in mind?" I questioned him sarcastically.

"I see you've recovered quickly from last night," he then stated. Almost immediately, my back began to gradually stiffen. And then, for just for a moment, softened. I could only stand there and wait until he finished.

"He's fine now, in case you were wondering. Miraculously that head gash you gave him was the only wound that was severe. It's weird because I would've thought that his ribs and leg or better yet his shoulder would've been worse off," he claimed, still calm. "But you sure are something; you managed to keep it in good shape. Even after two consecutive blows," I remained silent, facing the hallway outside.

"Perhaps I can't say anything about the situation. But you two have indeed quite the relationship. It's beyond queer…," he paused. "However, you knew that there were other ways to let the poor boy down more easily instead," I then heard the rocking in his chair stop as he then leaned forward.

"…_I've already tried reasoning with him the best way I could. I do not have fault if he refuses to acknowledge his own weakness…_,"

The ticking of that unknown clock seemed to get louder and louder with each second. "_Hmph, _weak huh? That really is too bad…," he breathed. "…perhaps someday, you'll start to see what that boy really is…," Saying nothing else, I left without looking back. I couldn't waste anymore time than I already had.

* * *

**{A/N}:**** Well, there you have it. Now before anybody says anything I know that Clarise and Aaron aren't in this chapter but trust me the scenes with Elijah and Oz were necessary. The same with Jethro and Break. I'm actually rather pleased with the way Jethro turned out in this chapter. His intro was very fun to write and I think I established his character quite well. And also about Michael; I know that he is just an OC character and that he probably doesn't matter all that much. (Sorry Michael ,) but as a writer who thinks of her own characters as her children, I just couldn't leave him out. But as I keep saying, everything I write and every random character I put in have a purpose and a reason. Confide in me and you'll see that I will not let you down. Also another thing, I hope that Break wasn't too OCC in this, I was very cautious with his words and actions but still it depends if ya'll saw him OCC. So I'm very sorry *bows head*. Until next month, I hope that you will continue to support this fanfic:)**


	19. Lopsided

**{A/N}:**** Hey everyone, first thing I would like to say is that I'm really sorry for the late update. You see a lot of things have happened to me in the last two weeks and well…I'm just trying to cope with it the best way I can. But on another note I'd like to thank all of those people who reviewed; I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart and please note that I appreciate every kind review I receive:) And with that I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Lopsided} ~_

* * *

_Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick…_

The grandfather clock that had just been fixed since the early morning had once again stopped…much to Rufus Barma's annoyance. Granted that it was a rather old clock and that if the average person were to look at it they would most likely consider it to be a piece of junk, however, not Rufus Barma. To him, that very clock symbolized the order and tranquility in his life. It has been with him for as long as he could remember. For generations it had always functioned and served it's bearers well, never faltering for it always kept on to the same pace; never skipping a beat. But today for some unknown or supernatural cause it decided to go kaput and discontinue it usual course. Although he had already sent for a clockwork mechanic to come and fix it, it apparently set its mind on remaining broken. While irritably flipping through the pages of the book he was reading, he let out a sigh of impatience. He was about to begin reading once more when suddenly the young man who had been quietly sitting over on the divan right next to the wall abruptly got up and called to him.

"_Lord Barma, how much longer must you keep me here?_" he questioned rather angrily. Not even bothering to look up from his book, Rufus calmly continued to read through page he was on. "Just until I acquire a certain piece of information, is that not what thou hast requested of me?" he replied. _**"Raawk! Requested of me, requested of me, raawk!" **_mimicked a parrot that was sitting on its perch in a cage beside him. The young man then scowled as he glared furiously at Rufus. "Yes but from what I can see, clearly you are not doing so!" he growled.

"Patience lad; it takes time to find these things. Thou must not be so hasty," he said, still reading his book. "If thy truly wishes to obtain the secrets of which thy previous master hast left behind thou must hold on a while longer and not rush me," he then threatened dryly.

"But Lord Barma you must let me go! You can search for it later but I must return to the young master's side, he needs me!" the young man implored him.

"_Ah_ yes, thy master is in the civic hospital in Auvergne correct? I had heard that the Hatter nearly beat the child to a bloody pulp. 'Twould have indeed been a sight to behold…," he smirked.

"_That bastard…,_" the young man seethed. He clenched his hands until his knuckles turned hard and white. "Had the young master…not have admired him so…_**I would've killed him with my own two hands!**_" he raged.

"My, such revulsion, thou must truly loathe him,"

"Xerxes had no right to lay such hands on my master…_no__** right!**_" the man continued. "_**But he'll pay for this…I swear it!**_"

"_WHAT IS UP LORD BARMA?_" greeted Elijah as he merrily entered the room. _**"Raawk, what is up Lord Barma, what is up! Raawk!"**_ Letting out another sigh, Rufus reluctantly put down his book and placed it to the side. The young man immediately changed his demeanor when he saw the boy walk in.

"Master Elijah," he breathed. "What are you doing here?" he then asked.

"Ah, there you are Raul! I knew you'd be here still," he smiled as he walked over to him. "There's a friend that I want you to meet, hey Oz come in here!" Both Oz and Alice cautiously entered the room, eyeing their surroundings carefully for they knew that they were entering Rufus's domain. "Guys, over here!" motioned Elijah. As the two of them turned their heads, their expressions then changed from that of being wary to surprised. "Eh? What's seaweed head doing here?" asked Alice as she observed the young man beside Elijah. Oz's eye twitched, bewildered at the very sight.

"Eh…_**Gil?!**_" he blurted. The young man blinked in confusion as he stared at them. "_Huh?_"

"_Haha,_ yea I knew that would be ya'll's reaction~," laughed Elijah, folding his arms above his head. "W-what?" Oz flustered.

"_Where hast thou been child?_" questioned Rufus. Everyone's attention then turned to him. His cold grey eyes completely focused on Elijah.

"I have been waiting long_,_"

* * *

"_Collette!_" I cried out with joy as I ran over to the stable. The auburn-colored mare neighed gaily as she approached me, gently pushing her face towards my own. "_I'm so glad you're safe,_" I whispered to her, cradling her head. She grunted softly as if to say the same.

"_Heh_, I knew I couldn't have been the only reason for you to come down here," Aaron teased, leaning against the wall. "She's been awfully anxious to see you,"

"I could only imagine. My poor girl…the last time I touched her was when I…let her escape from the stables…," I murmured, holding her tighter. "Right…," breathed Aaron. "But…that's all now in the past. We're all here now," he smiled.

"Of course! Minus Hein," I reminded him.

"Aw he should be around ere' somewhere. In the mean time, I have to put Macawi here back in his stable," he then said, gently tugging at the reins of the horse. "_Hmm_, Macawi is it? Don't tell me he's your new horse?" I asked him, looking up at the enormous black steed.

"Yup! He's all mine. Proud of em' too cause' today, was the first day he decided to venture out of his stable," he smirked as he patted the horse's side. "Was it now?" I said, calmly walking over towards him. Just like those horses from the carriage, this one was very skittish. However, this one's eyes were full of disquiet, as if it were still spooked. Soothingly, I began to caress the front of his nose. His breathing began to quicken at first but then relaxed as I continued to pet him. "_There baby…what are you so afraid of?_" I cooed. As if he wanted to answer, it looked right at me; his eyes wild with fear.

"Aaron? How was it that you got this horse?" I inquired. Aaron then turned to look at him as well. "Well, it's kinda weird really. None of the workers here really know the story but I had heard that he belonged to one of the people from the house. Except around a year ago, the owner just sorta dumped him here and left him, and ever since then, he hasn't wanted to come out his stable," he explained. "And because none of the others workers wanted em', they gave him to me as a welcoming present," he rubbed the back his neck.

"Really," I muttered. "And was his name already Macawi or?"

"Believe it or not, but the previous owner didn't even _name_ em either'. So of course I named him," he grinned.

"Ha, right, who else would name a horse '_Macawi_'," I laughed.

"_Loud Thunder_; I thought it was an appropriate name since whenever neighs its loud," he said, taking off the horse's reins. When he walked the horse inside, it quickly entered and went to the one of the corners. It trembled slightly as it slunk down upon the hay. "Poor thing…," I frowned. Letting out a breath of exhaustion, Aaron also looked at with pity. "Yea…," he agreed. "What I wouldn't give to know why he's so skittish. Big horses like him shouldn't be like that," he shook his head. I then glanced at Aaron tenderly, playfully grabbing his cheeks. "And this is why I love you so much, you're so kind," I smiled. Brushing off my hands, he then looked away embarrassed. "Oh whatever, I have my moments…," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Of course, of course," I laughed, walking back over to Collette. "_Ooooh_, I can't wait to spend the whole day with this sweetheart!" I squealed, hugging her. Aaron smirked warmly as he looked at us.

"You know Clarise you…don't know how happy I'm to see you. By what the circumstances were, I was almost was startin' to believe I never would," he admitted. Laughing, I shook my head and pulled away. "Aaron don't be silly, why on earth would you think that? You know it would take a lot more than some stupid rule to keep me away from my one and only brother," I smiled. "I know, I know," he said as he shook his head, frowning. Confused I cupped his face in my hands, bringing his gaze to mine. "Hey, are you alright?" I asked him. Shaking his head, he then laughed. "Yea sorry, I'm just a little tired is all. No need to worry," he reassured. "Oh, but I just remembered, I have something to show you," he grinned mischievously, taking me by the hand. We ran out of the stables into the field.

"Aaron, where are we going?" I probed.

"You'll see!" he answered. He then went behind me and covered my eyes. "Now just keep walkin' ok? We'll get there soon enough," I could feel myself going down a hill then reaching gravel. I could then hear the stable noises getting further and further away as we walked. "Aaron?"

"Ok now!" he then exclaimed as he pulled away from my face. Placing his hands on my shoulders, he led me a little further out; taking me to where I could see over the hill ahead. Just below where were standing was a small town that extended all the way to down towards the base of the river. My eyes widened in awe

"Aaron, what-?"

"It's called _Auvergne_. I've been there a few of times while staying ere' and I thought it would be a nice place take you one day," he breathed, looking out. I glanced up at him, amazed. "So what's say we go," he then asked.

"B-but…what about Collette-?" I stammered.

"She can come along with!" he claimed. He then turned his head around and whistled for her. Collette came running out of the stables to us. As Aaron jumped on top of her, he then reached for my hand. "Come on, it'll be fun!" he smiled. Me, who couldn't stop gaping, just smiled back and took his hand. After getting on, we rode off towards the town.

* * *

"_What do you mean you will not transfer me out?!_" I shouted, failing to keep my composure. Addams calmly set down the pen he was writing with and gazed at me. "I'm sorry Xerxes but my decision is final. You are to remain the Lieutenant Colonel of Squadron Five until your next of rank," he stated. "Now please, get out of my office, as you can see I am very busy," he breathed exhausted. "I couldn't care _less_ if you're busy, _I will not leave until you've heard me damn it!_" I seethed. "_**No Xerxes I have heard enough!**_" he then bellowed. It took me moment to realize that I had been overexerting myself. My breaths were patterned at an uneven pace.

"My decision is _final_…I will not hear anymore protests. Not from you or anyone else!" he claimed. I raised my head in displeasure, glaring down at him. I then started to chuckle. "_Heh_, 'anyone else' _eh_? I assume that the other higher-ups didn't take the news very well? _Aheh…ahahahahaha~!_" I laughed, trying to contain myself.

"Laugh all you want but neither their opinions will change my mind," he then stated.

"And that is where your current popularity comes into question Brigadier~!" I grinned, slamming my hand on his desk, though he didn't flinch. He just kept staring at me. I could feel my finger bones crack as I flexed them. "You…are a _boar_. An insufferable, pompous boar who goes around prancing about and flaunting his authority around just because he can. You're despicable…," I scowled.

"Say what you like, it's still not affecting the decision," he shrugged. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "I don't understand…I-I just can't understand, how is it that even after all I've said and done in the past, you still go against my wishes?" I questioned.

"Do you truly wish to know? I must warn you that you have only yourself to blame," he then said. "I beg your pardon?" I raised.

"The reason why I recruited you of course," I flinched, still quite confused. After setting his paper work aside, he then gazed at me with an indomitable expression. "The reason why I considered you for the position in the first place, was because of your talent Xerxes,"

"My…_talent?_" I repeated. "Yes, you have too much talent," he said as he then got up and began to walk to his cabinets. "And for it to be wasted as the Rainsworth nanny, well by God man I simply could not stand for it any longer," he shook his head, reaching for a stack of documents. '_Nanny…?_ _So is that really what they take me for is it?' _I fumed. "_Meaning…?_"

"Meaning after countless and dreary conferences with the board, they finally agreed to let me promote you to a better rank. So with that you may now get out, look over these files and get to work~!" he then smiled, shoving the papers onto me. "Oh and don't fret too much over those, they're just papers designed to help you get better acquainted with your position," As he sat back down in his chair I continued to glare at him. I then angrily wringed the papers within my hands. "Well forgive me but that still doesn't explain the fact why you wanted to me to be lieutenant colonel in the first place. So what if _**I**_ have talent. I'm fairly certain there were and _**still are**_ other men who wanted the position! And I'm sure _**they**_ have talent!"

"Perhaps but none like yours!" he exclaimed. "Xerxes…when I look at you…I see an arrogant, foul and self-righteous man; and when others look at you, they see the same. For years now it has been that way with no signs of amends and I have had it!" he snapped. I merely scoffed and tossed the papers into the couch beside me. "However…when I look past your persona, I see a man with great potential; someone whose true colors has yet to shine," he said. "And believe me it wasn't just I who spotted this but others, including the Duchess Rainsworth herself. If it didn't have to resort to this it wouldn't have gone this far but now what's done is done. You are to be a lieutenant colonel and lead your men as dictated; and although you say that you work better alone, it's high time you learned how to do it the other way around," he affirmed. I was about to protest until the door opened behind us. Reim and Brunson then cautiously entered. "You sent for us sir?" asked Reim.

"Yes Reim my boy. Please, escort Xerxes out of here and help get him accustomed into his new office. Take my word for it Xerxes; your office is indeed splendid!" he smirked. Reim then placed his hand on my shoulder. "Come on Xerxes," he whispered, but instead I stood there, glaring at Addams. "_Hn_…potential huh?" I retorted. Without a second thought, I quickly turned around and stormed out of there, not wanting to deal with any of them. Reim and Brunson however followed close behind me. "Xerxes, Xerxes we need to talk," persisted Reim, getting in front of me. "About what Reim? About how you purposely betrayed me or how you fit in to all this folly?" I interrogated.

"Xerxes let me explain please! This isn't at all what you think it is!" he tried to assure me.

"Really? Well I suppose Addams was just pulling my leg then, right?" I questioned. He was going to say something else when suddenly Brunson came forth and spoke. He stood right beside us, blocking the entrance to the room on the right.

"If I may have your attention please, Lieutenant Colonel sir!" he addressed me. No words could describe the revulsion I felt for that title. Nor the aggravation for Brunson. "_What the bloody hell is it that you want Brunson?_" I snapped.

"I'm sorry to disrupt your conversation sir, but I'm afraid we have already arrived at your office!" he gulped, voice cracking.

"What?" I asked, looking at the room behind him. "Oh you've got to be kidding me…," I muttered. "My office…is right next to Addams'," I let out a dry chuckle. "Of course…,"

"Which is why you should let me explain," then said Reim, getting back my attention. "Brunson, go to the main commons and gather up all members of Squadron Five immediately," he ordered him. Brunson uttered a quick word and went off, leaving Reim and I alone. He then turned to me with a serious expression. "We don't have much time,"

* * *

If there was such a thing as fate, _this_ would have fallen under its category; and even though I said I didn't believe in it, this was too much to be a coincidence.

"Hey Oz, does this mean that seaweed head has a twin?" asked Alice. I couldn't even for the life of me give out a proper explanation. "I-I don't think so Alice…," I simply stated. The man that stood before me simply smiled and looked at me tenderly. "Please do forgive the suddenness of this situation. Even though I would've liked to have met you under different circumstances, I am very honored to meet your acquaintance, Oz Vessalius," he said, bowing slightly. "Gilbert has talked a lot about you," Quickly regaining my composure, I smiled back.

"S-same to you," I replied. "…Mister Raul…,"

* * *

"What is it that thou hath been up to, Elijah?" questioned Barma, glaring at the boy. "I thought I have told you many a time that I do not like to be kept waiting," he said.

Elijah merely smirked arrogantly and sat down in a chair. "Yea, yea I know. But c'mon, I was only doing my job. After all, you were the one to tell me to not hesitate on making sure I was doing my tasks correctly am I right?" he then countered.

"Do not attempt to change the circumstances you art in boy. I do believe that there is no way to squirm out of this one,"

**_"Raawk! Squirm out of this, squirm out of this! Raawk!"_** screeched the parrot.

"Ok but I'm not trying to squirm out of anything, and relax will ya? You should be grateful that I at least got you this much of info," Elijah scoffed, getting out a folder that had been inside his coat. He then tossed it onto his desk. "It wasn't easy either so at least consider my efforts for getting it for you," Hesitating, Rufus finally looked away from Elijah and reached for the folder. He began to look through it just as soon as he flipped it open. "And not to sound cocky but, I do believe that you will find most everything in order, from beginning to end," chimed Elijah. As Rufus glanced over the last page, a vague smile formed at his mouth. "Is that so…well then, perhaps I shouldn't have been as upset with thee…,"

"Yea, right, but if that's everything from me, I'ma just go ahead leave," said Elijah as he got up from his chair.

"Not so fast boy, it seems that you have forgotten something," he reclaimed. Elijah slowly turned around, looking confused. Then, after thinking about it, he realized what it was. "Oh yea…ha, but for your information," he paused. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a folded picture and held it out to him. "I didn't forget it~," he grinned. In the picture showed four Pandora operatives standing behind the gate to the abyss of the Barma household. However, when closely examined, right behind the gates stood an eerie image of what appeared to be of a harlequin mask, floating just above the figures of the four men. Rufus Barma smiled as he stared at it. "Excellent,"

"Yes it is, you don't know how hard it was to find this picture let me tell you, the secret vaults in this house are unforgiving; but let me ask you this though; why are you _now_ showing interest in it? You do realize what chain that is right? Not to mention that neither your father _nor_ you grandfather were able to form a contract with it, let alone see it!"

"In time, you will see my boy. For unlike those in the past, I believe that_ I_ will be the one to obtain an audience with it," he snickered. Elijah then glanced at the picture. "Well good luck that," he nodded, handing over the picture. "So can I go now?"

"Well of course, but not before I completely explain thy role in tonight's play," said Rufus, catching Elijah's interest.

"_I need you to do something for me,"_

* * *

**{A/N}:**** All I have to say is that with Rufus's way of speaking, I would not be able to stand being one of his servants :P. And if you guys don't know why he is speaking that way well it is because the people from Yen Press decided to translate it like that and well, I thought it be cool to make him talk like that as well. Though it was hard finding all the right words so if you see a mistake, please tell me. All I'm using as a word guide is volume 8 of the manga :\. Once again I am sorry for the late update. Hopefully I will be able to update on time this month. Also I really hope I can get a lot of headway with the next chapter. You guys deserve it. Also in case you were wondering about the horse's name, **_**Macawi**_** is a Lakota Sioux word. And no, Aaron and Clarise are not native American, but their friends back home were :) Little bit of background that I will reveal later. Until then, I hope to see you at the end of this month.**


	20. Headlock

**{A/N}:**** I **_**finally**_** bring you last month's chapter. So sorry for the wait. T-T**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Headlock} ~_

* * *

"So…Mister Raul, I had heard from Elijah that you are Michael's personal valet…," I spoke rather timidly. The man then focused his attention towards me and smiled. "Why yes, yes I am," he replied, kindly giving Alice a small bag of cookies from his satchel. I just couldn't believe the sight I was seeing. "_Aheh_…I'm sorry. You must forgive me I…I just can't get over the fact that you look so much like—,"

"Gilbert? It's alright. I get that a lot so don't worry, I'm practically use to it," he chuckled. "Ah, right, of course…," I nodded. It felt like I had a million questions to ask him, but when I finally had a chance to talk, I couldn't say a thing. Whether it was because of the fact that he looked so much like Gil or it was because I felt I would've been intruding in business that wasn't mine. I bit my lip in annoyance. '_Why am I…even bothering?' _I asked , Elijah came forth from the room, closing the doors behind him. I couldn't see the expression on his face for his head was down.

"Master Elijah," addressed Raul. When he didn't respond, I grew slightly wary. Raul noticed this as well and began to probe him. "Master Elijah? Is everything alright?" he then asked. At that moment, if I had only stopped to look closer, I could have sworn that he flashed an peculiar grin. This not only confused me, but also sent chills down my spine. I couldn't help but let it worry me, though perhaps what was even more disturbing was the fact that I may have been the only one to see it...and that there was something else to it. I wanted to brush the thought aside and say that I merely imagined the whole thing, but there was no way I could have not imagined it…right? Unconsciously, I reached out my hand towards him and was about to say something until he spoke.

"Yep, everything's fine!" he beamed cheerfully, his face sincere. I flinched, taking back my hand.

"Are you sure? Just a moment ago you seemed to be troubled by something," Raul pried. Elijah then let go of the doors and walked toward us. "Oh _nah_, I'm good. I was just pondering over something from yesterday. You know with school starting and all? Just a little stressed but I'm good~," he explained, rubbing the back of his head. But I could tell he was lying. I could always tell if someone was lying. This only confirmed that I was right. I wasn't imagining things. "Ah good, so does this mean that we can leave?"

"Yep, all's set and done! We can leave now," he confirmed. Raul then smiled as he began to get his things. "Alright then, we should hurry back just case the young master has already awakened," he said. It seemed that everyone else was in an elevated mood except me, who was still brooding over what had just happened. I slowly began to clench the hand I had extended out. A dull feeling of dread then slowly began to creep deep inside me. '_What…the hell is this…?' _

"Oz?" poked Alice, staring at me. When I came to, I saw that both Raul and Elijah were already ahead of us heading out the hallway, leaving me behind. It was like déjà vu all over again. "What the heck is wrong with you today? You don't look right," asked Alice. Shaking my head, I brushed it off and feigned a quick smile. "Sorry, I'm just a little distracted is all," I said. Alice looked at me with reluctance but just before she could say anything else, Elijah called out to us. "Hey, are you guys coming or what?" he yelled, staring directly at me. Not even thinking, I responded back. "Yea we're coming!"

* * *

The town was much bigger than I had expected it to be. Although it was definitely smaller than Reveil, as we rode into the main street, I began to feel as if we were right back in the middle of it. The feeling was overwhelming.

"So, whatcha' think?" asked Aaron, turning his head back. "I really don't know what to say Aaron, but we're definitely not in Columbia anymore," I shook my head, laughing.

"Yep, we aren't…but hey, this town's got its perks don't it? Speakin' of which I gotta take ya to this one place! I don't know what it's called but they make this hotcake-like thing! It's called a _creep_ I think; it's really good!" he exclaimed.

"A _creep_ huh? Alright, let's give it a try," I agreed, nodding my head. Aaron smile widened as he spurred Collette's sides. "Alrighty then, now I just have to find it!" Aaron concluded, tugging at Collette's hair, but before we could move on, an old man then stepped forth beside us; calling out to Aaron. "Well hello there Aaron, haven't seen ye around these past few days. Ye finally come down here to pick up the feed? " he asked him.

"Hey there old man Gainer, and _nah_ I'm just here with my sister today! I'm takin' a break off from work. We were on our way over to that cake place you showed me the other day, I was wantin' to treat her to somethin'!" he beamed at the old man. However, the old man nodded his head and cautiously looked about. "Ah I see…well…remember that they've announced a clearing tonight. The whole town has been put on alert so try not to stay out too long, ye hear?" the old man then warned. This caught Aaron's attention.

"A _clearin'…?_ What are you talking about, what clearin'?" he pried. The old man then came back, appearing to be taken by his question. "What do ye mean what clearing? The announcement that they made early this morning, ye mean ye don't know of it?"

"Know of what? What announcement?" Aaron asked. The old man then got closer to Aaron, looking around him as if check and see if no one would hear him. "Son…ye do work for the Rainsworth family, don't ye?" he whispered, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Yea but what does that have to do with anythi—?"

"_Clarise…?_" a voice said from behind. I twisted my head only to see Lula standing beside a lamp post carrying what looked like to be groceries.

"Lula?" I muttered. After staring at me for a few seconds she turned to Aaron and the old man. Then after handing me her bags she casually walked over to them and stepped inside their conversation. "I'll handle it from here Mr. Gainer. You go on home," she told the old man. He warily glanced at Aaron for a few seconds before nodding and walking away, smiling unconvinced.

"What the hey, _Lula!?_" exclaimed Aaron as she then stood in front of Collette. "Come, come dear horsey," she said, smiling as she held out an apple. Colette, interested, began to follow her, ignoring Aaron's commands. "_Hey Lula what the hell are you doin'!?_" Aaron yelled as he tried to get back hold of Colette. The people around us started to look at us funny; however, Lula had already begun to walk towards the other street.

"Clarise dear do tell me, how have you been? I feel as if it has been a lifetime since I last saw you~," she chimed, not looking back. Nervously, I responded back. "Oh really, well that's odd because I swear it's only been three days,"

"Has it? Dear oh dear how time flies eh?" she nodded.

"Yes, it does doesn't it?"

"I'm really sorry to interrupt your talk but would you mind tellin' me where the _Sam Hill yer taking us please?!_" Aaron pleaded.

"Oh don't fret over it too much Aaron dear I'm just here to accompany you is all~. Besides…I believe I owe a bit of an explanation for back there,"

"About what, over how you kidnapped us in plain sight?"

"_Hmm_, besides that…you can assume it is over what Mr. Gainer had to say back there however…," she paused. Both me and Aaron then stared at Lula, this time with much more curiosity. Although I couldn't see it on her face, I could tell that there must've been a level of anxiety and hesitation, her voice gave it completely away.

* * *

"_So, Gentlemen! Now tell me, how did Xerxes inauguration go~?_" Jenkins cheerfully asked as he sat right beside the three men on the bench. Break and Brunson did nothing to acknowledge the old man's presence, leaving Reim, the only one to muster up his nerve and speak to him.

"Sir Jenkins forgive me but, I don't think that now is the appropriate time," he shook his head.

"Oh come now, don't exaggerate, _tell me!_" Jenkins continued to probe. Reim then let out a reluctant sigh, giving in. "Uh…well…it went—,"

"_Horrible…_," voiced Brunson. All three men turned their attention to him. Brunson had been staring at the ceiling above him dejectedly in a bemused stupor. "I have never felt such _loathing_…and _rejection_…come from a single human being…in all my_ life…_," he croaked. Everyone stared at him as if he was demented. Turning away, Jenkins then looked at Reim. "So I take it that it truly did not go well then?" he smirked pitifully.

"_Heh_, what is it Sir Jenkins. Did you not hear what Brunson just said? It went horrible; that's all there is to it," he explained calmly as he then got up and began to walk away. "Uhm Xerxes, where are you going?" Reim questioned.

"Where else Reim? To my _office_~! Where apparently I have to look over a few documents that Addams left for me to review, so now if you would excuse me, I have _work_ to do…," he said, clasping his hands.

"Xerxes…," Reim whispered awkwardly. As Break neared the exit, it opened, revealing Rebecca on the other side. Somewhat surprised to run into him, she then smiled smugly as she folded her arms. "Well, well, well; and here I thought you had already left. Excellent show by the way; you completely grasped and secured your men's respect with it," she laughed sarcastically. Although she was very much amused, Break, on the other hand was in no mood for jokes.

"_**Unless you'd like me to toss you aside, I suggest you step out of my way,**_" he threatened in a low voice. Rebecca, unfazed by it, calmly looked him in the eye. "Oh dear, why so hostile? I was merely complimenting you_,_" she sneered.

"Miss Rebecca!" exclaimed Reim as he rushed over to them. Without haste, Rebecca held up her hands in defeat and leaned back on the door. Break, saying nothing else, walked past her. "I honestly don't understand why he is so upset. I honestly thought it went well," she defended. Ignoring her statement, Reim went after him.

"Xerxe—,"

"I already told you Mr. Reim, I have work to do. So please leave me to my job in peace," Break said, ignoring him.

"I understand that Xerxes but that doesn't mean you have to shut me out and disregard everything! You need me to help you! Remember that your eyesight is only good whenever you don't overexert yourself. More so…you need to know that—,"

"Know what Reim? That you're sorry? Because if that's what it is I don't want to hear it," Break then turned to face him, his expression still calm. Reim just stood there, unable to speak. Break looked down at the floor before looking back at him. "Look…it's alright Reim. I don't blame you for anything. You did what you were told to and in the end, that is all that matters; and in all quite honesty, I don't really care at this point. After all, this is what everyone wanted in the end am I right?" he stated. Reim tried to say something but before he could even get out the words, Break had shut the door on him. Distraught, Reim let his shoulders slump.

"Oh don't worry so much over him Lunettes; he's a grown man after all. Besides, he took that much better than I had expected," smirked Rebecca. "I'm sure he'll be fine," she said as she walked away. Reim let out a breath of defeat as he shook his head, still staring at the doors.

Break fell back and leaned against the doors exhausted. He ran his hand through his hair as he exhaled.

"Xerxes?" a voice spoke. Break looked up to see who was speaking to him. From the other side of the room he saw Beatrice in uniform, folding her previous clothing into a bag. "Strange seeing you here…I was for sure you were still at the manor, what are you doing here?" she asked him. It took him awhile to say something as he continued to mussel up his hair.

"Well? Aren't you going to give me an answer?" she pried.

"Forgive me Beatrice but I'm afraid I'm just not in the mood to answer any questions, so if you'll excuse me," he replied, passing her by.

"Is that so? Well then perhaps you are in a listening mood instead," she then said. Break chuckled at her remark.

"Sorry but I'm afraid I'm not in that type of mood either," he sneered.

"Even if it might be relevant to you in tonight's assignment?" she countered. "I had heard from the other officers that you were placed in charge of tonight's operation," With that, Break turned back to face her. "Sensing that you would be the only one in command, I decided to help lessen your troubles and send Odi and Edmond along with you. In addition, the Madame is also sending Lula. Knowing that both Odi and Edmond are swordsmen such as yourself and Lula having two chains, it might just make things go a bit smoother for you. After all, the selected children from the academy will be attending this operation, so it is better to be safe than sorry," she said. Break couldn't help but laugh.

"Great…more people. That just adds on to roster then. I mean after all, it's only a small 'capture and discard' operation, why not make it an enjoyable picnic for the entire organization to partake in!" he exaggerated. Beatrice smiled uneasily.

"I'm truly sorry for how the way things turned out but whether you're pleased or not I'm sending them for the children's' sake," she nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must leave. Both the Lady and Nigel have been waiting for me in her office so I cannot dilly-dally here for much longer," she said as she gathered her things. Break simply stood there, ignoring her as she was leaving.

"_Ah!_ Though before I leave, I entrust you to bring back Dawson before night fall, do you understand?" she ordered him. Break then snapped out of his daze and glared at her. "I'm sorry, who?"

"Don't try to act stupid, you know who I'm speaking of. Bring her back to the manor before night fall and consider it an order," she stated. "You didn't honestly believe that I had absolutely no clue as to what you two were doing outside in the fields? You had deliberately disobeyed my orders and to make matters worse, you left her there! Luckily however, Lula has informed me that she is in town with her so it should be a fairly easy task," Chuckling, Break stared at her in disbelief. "And if I refuse?" he derided. As Beatrice reached to open the doors she turned to him. "Then consider the rest of your miserable, short life a living hell," she smiled. Break raised his brow as he crossed him arms. "A living hell? Just for a little girl?"

"Regardless if you don't believe me, Lady Sheryl will be notified of this and unless you don't want that to happen then consider it an order," she threatened him. Break's expression did not falter as she began to leave. "Remember, before night fall, I'll be waiting~," she said as she shut the doors behind her. Finally alone, Break sat down on the divan. Amused, he shook his head and rested the side of his chin on his fist.

"Honestly…,"

* * *

"So let me to get this straight: a _clearing_, is pretty much where the people of this town are ordered to hide inside their homes for an entire night…just so the people from this 'Pandora' can go and ensure their safety from the poisonous gases comin' from inside the forest?" Aaron summarized. Lula, who was sitting opposite from him, smiled timidly as she shifted in her chair. "Now I know that, that sounds somewhat ridiculous to an extent but-,"

"I'll say, half of me doesn't even want to _believe _it! I mean I had heard stories from the other stablehands _but what in_ _God's name is really in that forest? _First it was dangerous animals and now it's this? Which is it!?" he yelled, attracting attention from the other people in the saloon. However Lula didn't seem fazed, she merely continued to smile. Although it wasn't hard for me to tell that she was hiding something, I knew that no matter how hard we tried, we weren't going to get a straight answer from her. Since we had arrived at this saloon, I had felt her anxiety fade, therefore I gave up on trying to find out.

"Lula, if I may say…," I said, looking at her. "…if there is something you do not wish to tell us, it's alright. You don't have to if don't want to," I assured her. Lula's expression then changed. She stared at me in slight shock before suddenly laughing.

"My, my…there's just no getting past you, eh lass," she grinned, tilting her head.

"No there isn't and there's no getting past me either! And what the hell are you sayin' Clarise!? We have every right to know what's goin' on!"

"And I don't deny that laddie, however…I'm afraid that I cannot be the one to tell you anything," she then announced, looking into a far off distance. Before any of us could say anything she then rose from her chair and began to walk off. "Oh really? And I just assume someone else is goin' to tell us then? called Aaron. Not a moment later did she stop, and spoke.

"_Even if I or another person were to come up with words and elucidate upon the madness, I fear that you wouldn't believe it…but it's alright…for even we can't fully believe it ourselves,_" she stated, turning to us. It was as if the world stopped then; making me, Aaron and her to be the only ones fully aware. Those words echoed in my mind, oblivious to the fact that they would soon completely surmount my thoughts; ceaselessly coming back to haunt me during my darkest hour.

* * *

**{A/N}: ****Once again, I'm really sorry for the late update. I've just been really busy lately and haven't found time to update. But I will try harder next time. I'd like to thank those who had reviewed and say that the next chapter will definitely have Break and Clarise time ^^. **


	21. Blinding

**{A/N}:**** Here is the 20****th**** chapter ladies and gentlemen! FINALLY! I'm really sorry for the late update. I know I said I'd update around five months ago but unfortunately I was sidetracked majorly by college. :/ But on the other hand I'd like to say I loved and ((hated)) writing this chapter. For months now I've been waiting to write the scenes and now they're finally here! So on that note, read on! **

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS**

* * *

_~ {Blinding} ~_

* * *

Xerxes Break let out a sigh of relief when he finally reached his new office. Even though he scorned every bit of this situation, he at least knew that no one would bother him there. '_At last, peace and quiet_,' he thought as he opened the doors, or, so he thought.

Standing in front of his desk was Brigadier Addams and another Pandora operative he did not recognize. They were discussing something when Break came in. "Xerxes my boy, you finally made it!" exclaimed the Brigadier, smiling grandly. Break made no effort to welcome them as he closed the doors behind him. "We've been expecting you, you see. I'd like you to meet your new personal subordinate, Sir Edwin Thatch. He recently came to us from the Athene branch over on the east side. He'll be assisting you with your missions and whatever else you need," he introduced.

"_Joy…,_" Break mordantly smiled. The man walked to where he was and held out his hand in greeting. "It is honor to make your acquaintance sir," he smiled, bowing slightly. Rigid, Break stood upright and reluctantly took his hand. "Likewise," he nodded. After the two shook hands, Addams came up from behind the man and patted his back. "Now you be nice to Mr. Thatch alright Xerxes! I don't want to hear any complaints coming out of him about you, are we clear?" he ordered as he strode over the doors. "Oh absolutely sir, I wouldn't dream of it~," Break grinned toothily as he looked to him. "Good and with that, I excuse myself. Cheerio lads~!" he said, leaving the two men alone.

"Cheerio sir ha, ha, ha, _you son of a bitch…,_" muttered Break as he turned away. The man chuckled under his breath. "Sir Addams can certainly be quite a handful," he noted.

"If only you knew…," grumbled Break as he brushed his hair back.

"Well sir I was assigned to you to be your assistant, and as such, if there is anything I can do to help, please, use me to your heart's content," the man then nodded, somewhat baffling Break. Break turned back around to face him. He then grinned mischievously. "To my heart's content you say? Pray tell, does this truly mean that you'll do _anything_ I tell you to?" he prodded him.

"Well, why yes sir. Anything," the man responded.

"Anything…including..._the enormous amount of paperwork that is currently residing on my desk, right~?_" Break pointed out. The man felt somewhat nervous as Break gazed at him with a mischievous look.

"Uh…well yes sir. Even the paperwork," the man smiled timidly. Break didn't need to hear anything more. With that, he then idly placed his arm around the man's shoulder. "Ah_,_ what was your name again? Mr. Thatch isn't it? Whatever it is I have a feeling that you and I are going to get along _very _well. And to think I was going to give you utter _hell _just a few moments ago! Ha, ha, life is indeed amusing isn't it?" Break laughed as he carelessly strode over to the tea cart that was beside the cabinets. "If you need me, I will be resting myself on the divan there. It has after all been quite an eventful day for me. Let me know when you're all finished~!" he then informed him.

"B-but…what of the documents that require your formal signature sir?" the man inquired. Break then snatched a loose piece of paper that was hanging atop of a bookshelf. Grabbing a pen off the desk, he then proceeded to scribble something across the white page. After he was done, he held it up in front of them with the pen pointing directly at the poorly written text that was his signature.

"This…_this_ is what you put down as my signature. To be honest, I think a baboon could forge this, since really, when it comes down to it, all it really is, is just _chicken scratch_…plain and simple. It's what I put down for those documents," he nodded unflappably. The young man took the paper and eyed it in defeat.

"R-right, sir…I-I'll get started right away then," he then stated, and with that, he began to look over the documents.

* * *

With a little over a few hours, the man had finished looking over every single document; including the ones requiring Break's signature. After he stacked the last batch of papers in order, he then let out a sigh of relief as he brushed off his sweat. "Well sir, there you have it. All two hundred and thirty-four papers in check and in order," he spoke proudly. Break, who was near the brink of dozing off upon the divan, quickly awoke at the sound of his voice. "Eh?" he grumbled, still weary.

"I finished all of the paperwork sir?" the man repeated. Break turned over and looked towards the desk. As he stared at the enormous pile of papers, he then broke into a smirk.

"Well, that certainly was quick, and here I thought it would take you all day to finish. How long did it take you?" he chuckled lightly.

"A little over three hour's sir, give or take?" said the young man, checking his pocket watch.

"Huh, impressive," Break nodded. "Well, if you're all finished, I'll grant you the rest of the day off. As a reward for your services, that is,"

"U-uhh t-the rest of the day off, s-sir?" the man stuttered in surprise.

"Well yes, you deserve it no?" Break said as he rose from the divan. The man squirmed restlessly as he stood on the spot. "W-well I wouldn't know sir; however, I couldn't possibly take the rest of the day off!" he stammered.

"Oh and why's that?" Break raised his brow.

"Well because sir, have you forgotten that we have a 'clearing' to attend to? I was told that you have been placed in charge of the entire operation tonight. How could I possibly have the day off knowing that," he stated. Immediately recalling the order, Break cringed with frustration, unbeknownst to the young man. "Ah~, of course! How could I have possibly forgotten?" Break demanded. He then proceeded to collect his jacket and other belongings, afterward heading straight for the doors.

"Well then if you insist, I personally have no other reason to stay here so I'll just be heading back to−−," he then froze, stopping in his tracks. '_And of course, how could I have forgotten _that _as well?_' he then mused, snorting lightly. He then turned back around to face the young man.

"On second thought, how familiar are you with the area Mr. Thatch? Particularly around the Rainsworth area that its,"

"Um…I-I'm ashamed to say not all that well sir. Why? Is there something you wanted me to do?" he answered.

"Actually never mind, I will handle this myself, forget that I asked. More ever, what time is it, if I may ask?" Break then inquired. The young man pulled out his pocket watch and took a quick glance. "It is a quarter till four sir," he read.

"Huh, I believe that leaves me plenty of time then," Break muttered to himself while he slipped on his jacket. "And exactly what time does the operation begin?"

"Um, I believe we head out at six in point sir. Why do you ask sir?"

"I'll be going out for a bit I'm afraid. I shouldn't be gone for too long and should be back in time, in case I'm not however, try and stall the superiors the best you can. More ever if that should fail as well, do notify Colonel Lunettes understood?" Break ordered him.

"S-stall you say? A-and is there any particular reason why you would be heading out at this hour? Even to doubt returning on time?" the young man frowned. Break laughed as he fastened the last button on his jacket. "No, no reason at all. I'm simply letting you know if things don't go as planned however~," he grinned as he opened the door. "I'll be back soon enough, I just need to take care of a quick errand is all~,"

* * *

Soon after staying a while more inside the café, we left, taking to the streets once more. As the day passed, we began to see the sidewalks getting less and less crowded. Townspeople warily took refuge inside their homes, locking doors and shutters alike. With the feelings of restiveness and dread quickly filling the ambiance, the once busy streets were slowly becoming empty, and the more people seemed to disappear, the more Lula's words troubled me. They hadn't stopped worrying me since we left the café; so much so that I myself was getting anxious, yet I did not say a word. Aaron, on the other half remained adhesive to Lula; persistently trying to get more answers from her but to no avail. By the time we had seen most of the town, it was already five o'clock. Collette whinnied exasperatedly as she nudged the small of my back. The poor animal must've been exhausted.

"Hey Lula," I called. "When exactly did Beatrice say she was going to come? Collette is getting tired, and to be honest, so am I. Would it really be that much trouble if Aaron and I go back on our own? If we go now, I'm sure we can beat nightfall," I told her. She and Aaron were in front of me the entire time whilst we were walking. Aaron tried to say something as well when Lula cut him off.

"Beatrice had said that she was goin' to come around four-thirty but assume she's runnin' little late. As for Aaron, I'm afraid, I really do need him to stay with me and assist me with last minute shoppin'," she explained, clinging to Aaron's arm. Back when we were at the café, Lula had informed Beatrice through telephone that I was with her. Skipping past the lectures, she ordered that I stay with Lula at all times until she came to retrieve me at the given time. Aaron would have taken me back immediately after she had called except Lula asked him if he would stay with her and help her with her groceries along with other business. Knowing how spontaneous Lula could be, I thought the whole thing was odd; but I figured it couldn't be something to be fret over for too long, therefore I did not give it much thought.

"Well then can_ I_ go on ahead? The estate is just some miles up ahead isn't it? I can easily go back without having to trouble anybody," I then offered. This time however, Aaron was the one to object.

"I-I wouldn't be too comfortable with that either Clair. It's not safe for women like you to be out by yourself, specially' round' this time," he said. I pouted at the objection. "I can take care of myself you know Aaron, I'm not a little girl. Besides, I'm with Collette; if anything happens I can easily get away,"

"I'm not sayin' you're a little girl Clarise; I'm just sayin' it ain't safe! Who knows what could happen. Just wait here until that ole' broad comes alright?" he glared.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with your brother dear; although this town is very peaceful, there have been known to be a few instances with hoodlums hidin' in the woods nearby. Beatrice should be here at any moment, wait just a little while longer, ok?" Lula added. Getting frustrated, I had no choice but to back down. "Fine," I breathed. "Though I still don't see why you can't trust me," I uttered.

"My goodness, there indeed is no limit to your stubbornness miss _Clarisse~_," snickered a voice from behind. Turning around, I saw that Break had been standing casually near a lamp post. He smiled playfully at me at me as soon as our eyes met. "With an attitude like that, mixed with your level of naivety; you'd be the perfect target for a group of human traffickers," he said as he began to walk closer to us.

"You're here Xerxes? Well this is certainly a rare sight~!" exclaimed Lula, sounding very amused.

"It is a rare sight isn't it? When was the last time I paid a visit here alone? God, I can't even remember~!" he pondered as he continued to snicker.

"Indeed, though I presume you're here on business being all dressed up in your uniform am I right? _Ha!_ Either way it goes it's so good to see you~!" Lula squealed in delight as she awkwardly embraced him. Aaron and I could only stare at the odd couple as they continued to laugh and hold each other.

"Ah, I can never stop greetin' you Xerxes~! It has been far too long since we've last seen each other,"

"Really? It's has only been two days," Break said.

"Oh time flies Xerxes, time flies. Though really what on earth brings you here? I would've thought you'd be at the estate by this time?" Lula then asked as she released him.

"I should be, however, miss Beatrice had requested me to bring miss Clarisse back to the manor after she so rudely escaped. That, I'm afraid is my reason for being here," he playfully frowned as he eyed me. I was going to object when Aaron interrupted, stepping forward and pushing me behind him.

"Hold on, are you sayin' that this nutcase is goin' to take her back!?" he demanded, then shaking his head. "Oh no, that is_ OUT_ of the question! I'll be damned if I let him take her anywhere!" he fumed.

"Aaron!" I scolded, grabbing onto his sleeve.

"Oh my, I had no idea you were here as well. In fact, I had completely forgotten all about you! And with such poor manners too, how could I possibly forget?" Break sniggered.

"Now boys," Lula defensively held up her hands in the space between them. Still livid, Aaron continued to glare straight through Break.

"What the hell do you want?" Aaron seethed through his teeth.

"Eh? I thought we had already established that. I came to retrieve the young lady standing behind you? If you would be so kind as to let her go, it would be much appreciated," said Break as he came closer to us.

"_Tch_, yea right like I'm just gonna give her to you!" Aaron glowered.

"I honestly cannot see why that bothers you. I'm only following the orders I have been given you know, however, you too seem to be out past your curfew here. I should probably take you back as well," Break then advised.

"U-uh I hate to object however, dear Aaron has to stay with me! Besides last minute shoppin', I-I'm afraid I'll need him to assist me in other things as well~!" stammered Lula as she abruptly snatched Aaron's other arm.

"Oh? Is that so?" Break inferred, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes it is!" she nodded confidently, looking straight into Break's eye, almost as if she was trying to get something across to him. Without a doubt, Break then lifted his head, finally understanding and smirked noxiously.

"I'm sorry Lula but if this snake is gonna be the one to take Clarise back, I gotta go with them. I'ma'na have to help you out some other time," Aaron rebuffed, all while trying to escape her grasp, though Lula held fast, squeezing his arm tighter. "Aw how mean; and even after you offered to help in the first place too!" he pouted childishly. Then, without warning she dragged him over to the side and held him at ear point, just to where neither I or Break could hear them. Now I knew something was suspect, but before I could demand Lula to tell me what was going on, Break spoke to me, keeping me from doing so.

"So, I see you brought a horse," he said, gesturing at Collette, who had been swaying idly by the edge of the street. I gazed pitifully at my mare before looking back.

"I brought one as well, seeing how the trolleys have shut down for today," he continued. "You did?" I then asked, seeing how I didn't see a horse when he arrived. Break then turned around and nodded to a small wooden railing beside the street. There, stood a rather restless Macawi, clearly not enjoying where he was stationed at. "I personally do not mind them, however, I think perhaps a different choice would have been better," he frowned, looking somewhat annoyed at the horse. Grimacing, I could only imagine how uncomfortable and scared the poor animal was riding with him.

"Well then, if everything is settled, we will be taking our leave then," Break then announced, carefully taking hold of my arm.

"Yes of course! Safe travelling~!" Lula yelled as she waved to us.

"Now just hold on a minute, I didn't agree to anythin' just ye—_aahow!_" Aaron began to protest, only to be once again be dragged down. I wish I could have said something to them however Break was already keeping me preoccupied.

"You know you don't have to yank me, I can perfectly walk on my own," I scowled at him as I fought against his grip.

"Oh I know that, however, the longer we wait for them to finish, the longer it will take for us to get back. If you haven't already noticed I am a bit pressed for time so if you don't mind please move along," he said as he continued to hold my arm. Realizing that arguing with him would be pointless, I gave in. "Fine I'll go, but just let me take my horse," I pleaded.

"Oh but Clarise darlin', how would we get back?" Lula questioned, still struggling with Aaron. "You see, the trolleys have been shut down for the day and we cannot go on by foot I'm afraid," she said, rather seriously.

"O-oh well…," I fumbled with my words, not sure how to respond.

"Well then you two take that horse and we'll go on the one I originally came with," Break suggested.

"What horse?"Aaron then asked, looking around. When his eyes fell upon Macawi, his voice softened. "Wait, you brought…Macawi?" he mouthed. "But…how did you—?

"So is that settled then?" Break cut him off.

"Well, I understand that Collette is Clarise's horse…Clarise is that alright with you?" Lula looked to me. Hesitating, I took one last glance at Collette. Finally slipping out of Break's hold I calmly walked over to her and petted her snout. I knew she was exhausted, and I wanted nothing more than to take her with me. Still, as I glanced over at Macawi, I knew that I needed to stay with him. I did not know what the animal was going through, but having to have been forced to accompany Break all the way down here was definitely out of his comfort area. On top of that,

I couldn't help but pity Aaron. From where I was standing, it was apparent that I was going to be the one to take care of things.

"Its fine," I said, still petting Collette. "You can take her, just please be gentle," I implored.

"We will Clarise, you have my word," Lula smiled as she nodded her head. Smiling myself, I then turned toward Break, not saying another word. Aaron though reached out and grabbed onto my shoulder, shaking.

"W-wait, Clarise I— still uh—uh," he stammered awkwardly. It was clear that he still did not want me to go with Break. Still smiling, I calmly cupped his face with my hands. When his eyes met mine, I gently placed my forehead against his. He then blinked in surprise.

"I'll be fine," I told him, not wanting him to worry. I knew how stubborn Aaron could be; I knew it all too well. Even if it were over something silly, he would still butt heads over it and this was obviously no different. Nevertheless, although I understood why he did not want me to leave with Break; I needed him to trust me. He looked at me with unease; however, after a while he slowly began to relax. "I promise I'll be alright, and I'll even make sure that Macawi's taken care of as well," I assured him. Taking another nervous glance at his horse, he finally nodded his head and backed away.

"Well then if everything is over and done with, may we please take our leave?" Break asked, starting to sound impatient.

"Yes," I turned to him, already walking towards Macawi.

* * *

As he watched his sister amble over to the horse, his shoulders fell. No matter how convincing Clarise was, he still could not bear to watch her leave. Lula, who was standing right beside him, then wrapped her arm around his. "She'll be alright Aaron. There's nothin' for you to worry about," she comforted.

"Yes Aaron, she'll be just fine~," added Break. "Don't you worry, I promise I'll take good care of her~," he sneered. Aaron's anger then flashed, though Lula quickly restrained him. "Xerxes," she warned. "What? It's not like I'm lying," he said as he turned to leave, but not before sending a devious grin in Aaron's direction. Aaron wanted nothing more than to take him out, though with people still on the street, he thought it be best if he did not make a scene. He watched helplessly as Break and Clarise went up to the horse. After a few minutes of petting, bickering and Clarise ultimately declining Break's assistance to mount the animal, they were ready to leave. Clarise, who was sitting in front of Break, twisted her head to face them. Once they locked eyes, Clarise gave one last smile before finally dashing off into the street, quickly disappearing from sight.

Aaron clenched his fists anxiously. Lula could only massage his back as she too gazed at the couple. "You have nothin' to worry about Aaron. Although Xerxes can be a bit uncouth, he wouldn't do anythin' to harm anyone. At least, not without proper intention," she laughed.

"Enough," Aaron then muttered, silencing Lula. Aaron then turned to face her, his expression solemn. "Now that you have me, what was it that was so important for you to keep me here Lula?" he asked her. Hearing this, Lula gave a sly grin.

"Hmph, patience lad, you'll see soon enough," she said, her eyes twinkling with a sense of knowing.

* * *

"You know you don't have to push the horse so abruptly," I frowned as Macawi struggled then slowed into a quick trot.

"Like I said before miss Clarisse, I am a bit pressed for time. The faster we go, the sooner we can get back," said Break, still looking straight ahead.

"Well I guess I should be happy that not many people are around, lest you'd trample them," I muttered sarcastically.

"Must you always think the worst of me miss Clarisse?" he sighed. As we rode past the main street, we began to make our way to the entrance of the town. However, due to the people on the street, we had to slow down. Grateful, I gently patted Macawi's neck.

"I must say however, your brother has indeed quite the personality," Break commented. "This is the second time we've spoken to each other, and he still quite detests me! I have yet to figure out why~!" he then chuckled, amused. I rolled my eyes as I continued to look ahead. "Hm…that really is a mystery. Though perhaps if you'd at least _try_ to be a little courteous with him, you may get a different response," I said.

"Oh, and what's that suppose to imply? I'm always courteous to others," Break defended.

"Are you really?" I asked him, not interested.

"Believe it or not miss Clarisse, I harbor no ill will towards your brother, however, as a little bit of advice, I would suggest he keep his temper in check. Although I don't know how it was back in America, over here is different," he said.

"Oh, and you say that because of the class system here?" I raised, finally turning back to see him. "My brother is not disrespectful, so you don't have to worry about whether or not he knows his place. However, if you rub him the wrong way, he will respond the only way he knows how, and the last time I checked, even if you are a few steps above him, you yourself are only a mere servant, so don't try to pull that card over me because it won't work," I glared.

"My, such ferociousness, and here I thought we were finally getting along," he smirked as he looked down. "Don't get the wrong impression Sir Break, all while I don't quite hate you, saying that my family doesn't have any etiquette is where I draw the line," I corrected.

"Hmph…it would seem that I misunderstood, nonetheless, it's just a little friendly advice," he stated, retaining his composure. I lightly huffed as I turned back forward. The rest of the time, we kept quiet, not another word said between the two of us. When we made it past the last alley, we were finally on our way out of the town, yet once we arrived, a huge crowd of people had gathered in the front, blocking the exit."Oh no," muttered Break under his breath. Confused, I turned around to look at him then back at the people. By the looks and sounds that they were making, something was not right.

_**"Quit blockin' the road! Move it!"**_

_** "Why are you doing this? It's not even close to the time you issued the order!"**_

_** "Please, we just want to leave before it starts!"**_

The people shouted. I turned my gaze to whom they were shouting. Standing in front of the entrance stood a troupe of Pandora officers blocking the way, their expressions grave and firm. One officer was at the front, apparently trying to quell the crowd's growing disquiet.

"**All civilians are to return home immediately! For those who do not live here are to seek shelter in the local inns!**" he declared, ignoring their protests.

"_**And what the bloody 'ell makes you think that we ave' the money for that!?**_" a man yelled, riling up the mass even more.

** "All inns during this time will give out free vacancy for anyone who does not have the sufficient amount of money to pay! That being said, you are ordered to head and seek shelter there immediately!"** the officer boomed.

_"But that isn't fair! Our homes are not that far away, we can easily make it if you would just let us pass! Whatever happened to the time issued before! Why can't we leave now?"_ a woman hollered.

**"The situation has changed since then. As of this moment, it is no longer safe to travel through the roads!"** With that, the people then grew quiet, wary and murmuring amongst themselves. Break then made a noise of irritation, grabbing the reins tighter. "Well, this isn't turning out well," he muttered agitatedly, glowering at the officers. "What's happened?" I asked, but he did not answer. He just kept glaring at the officers, as if he knew exactly what was going on.

**"As we speak, operatives are now blocking the main passes heading towards Reveil and Holder and escorting the remaining citizens here! Please go back to the town and seek shelter now!"** the officer ordered, though one man stood above the rest of the crowd and confronted him, brusque and vulgar. "_And what if we refuse?_" he questioned, getting in the officer's face. The officer held his ground nevertheless, and spoke. "_Then we will resort with force…,_" he glowered, unyielding to the man. Then, as if called, the other officers began to close in on the horde of people, leaving them no room for escape. As they began to head back, Macawi nervously whinnied and bucked. The sudden jolt caught me off guard and nearly made me lose balance.

"Easy boy," I soothed, caressing his neck. Break, however, was none too pleased. Holding the reins, he irritably pulled back on them, forcing Macawi over to the side. "Don't do that, you'll hurt him!" I scolded, though once again it fell on deaf ears. Break was too busy searching the streets, possibly looking for a way out.

"Break, shouldn't we follow the others? I don't think that those officers will let us pass," I said.

"My dear you do realize that I have absolutely no tolerance for whatever those tasteless idiots have to say. Either way, as of today I am a rank higher than any of them so it really doesn't matter. However," he trailed off as he suddenly started to cut across the crowd, clearly not caring about the people walking by. "If any of them _do_ see me it will be a nuisance. Hence, I am forced to take a shorter route. Hopefully that won't upset you," he finished as he turned Macawi towards a sunken forest path. "Y-you mean we're going into the _forest!?_ But didn't they just say it was dangerous?!"I exclaimed.

"Yes though I wouldn't worry too much. After all, it isn't too dark out and you are with me. I strongly doubt anything too horrible will happen," he smiled as he looked down the road. I tried to object when he spurred and yelled for Macawi to go in, leading the poor horse to gallop straight into the wood. We ran at such a velocity that I could barely hold on. I could also hear Macawi's breath become more ragged with every gait he took.

"_Would you slow down?! You'll kill him if we keep going like this!_" I shouted, frantic. Luckily Break heard me and pulled, but not without consequence. Exasperated, Macawi reared, flailing his front legs in the air. He would've thrown us off had Break not held a tight grip on the reins.

"Useless horse," he gritted through his teeth.

"It's your fault for making him go that fast! Don't you know how to ride a horse?" I retorted. "As a matter of fact I do, I'm just disappointed that this horse has yet to be properly trained. _Even after all this time…_," he said, still gripping the reins. Without a moment's rest, he then spurred the animal into a quick trot, just as it was beginning to calm down. "Well I don't know how you handle your training around here, but as for my '_bit of advice_,' you're doing it wrong," I scowled.

"And all of your complaints will be dealt with as soon as we get to the manor," he muttered sarcastically. I rolled my eyes, still staring ahead. Thankfully, Macawi was now more at ease as he trotted through the grove. With nothing left to be said, we stayed in solitude for a good while, leaving my eyes to wander about. As I observed the woods surrounding us, I noticed that it was different from what I expected. When Lula told me and Aaron about the dangers that lied inside, I had anticipated that it would be more…sinister; and overall desolate than any normal wood. Yet, it wasn't. It actually looked pretty normal. Then again, I had suspected that Lula was hiding something, but still.

"Say…Break?" I muttered.

"Hm?" he responded.

"…Lula said that there are noxious gases that come out of the forest and that if anyone tried to go in, they would be risking their lives…," I said, waiting for him to respond.

"Yes…what of it?" he pried, clearly not understanding what I was getting at. After fiddling with my thoughts for a bit, I finally mustered the nerve to ask him. Though I most likely wouldn't get a straight answer, it was worth a try.

"Well…I didn't really believe her when she first told me and to be honest…I still don't," I started. "If you ask me, I think it was a rather poor excuse. The way she presented it to us…it just didn't sound believable I guess," I stated. "Not to mention that the wildlife around it would be harmed, or wouldn't it?"

"So let me guess, you want me to tell you what it is exactly that's happening, is that right?" he questioned. I closed my eyes for a few moments before re-opening them. "If you would be so kind, and not lie to me that is," I told him. I heard him let out a low chuckle, clearly amused. "My, my, you certainly are a cheeky little girl. However, I'm afraid even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me," he said. My shoulders slumped from the disappointment. "I don't understand…Lula said the same thing when I asked her. What is there that I wouldn't possibly believe?" I questioned, demanding that he tell me. Break merely continued to have the same look on his face. "You really want to know?" he asked. "To be honest I would tell you, after all if you are going to be living here, so you at least have a right to know, however, I'm afraid discussing the matters whilst on horseback would be rather improper," he then said. Disappointed, I looked away when I suddenly felt him lean closer to me, his arms engulfing my frame. I could feel that his face was now only a few inches away from my own; his lips grazing my ear.

"It's best if you don't ask a lot of questions now miss Clarisse," he murmured. "After all, experience is one's best mentor, no?" he hinted, mischief laced around every word. Baffled, I slowly turned around to face him once more. A puckish grin played at his lips as he gradually backed away.

"So, you're saying that it's an experience I should receive on my own, is that it?" I prodded.

"More or less," he sighed. "In the end, you'll see soon enough what I mean," he finished. Soon after, I stopped asking questions. No later did we stop at a crossroad; one road leading one way, the second leading another. Break uttered a curse under his breath. "Oh goody, this is just what I was needing," he grumbled, his smile now a lopsided smirk. "What is it?" I asked him.

"I'm embarrassed to admit it, however it would seem as if I have forgotten the correct road to take," he explained. "You see I'm not used to using this method of transportation, so I can't help but be at a loss," he shrugged. Thinking, I looked back at the two roads. "Well…the manor is north from here right? Then just take the road on the right," I suggested. Break however shook his head. "I'm afraid this isn't how it works," he said.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"It's another one of Blackwood's infamous features. An example, when we first entered, do you remember exactly which direction we were headed?" he posed.

"West I'm sure," I replied.

"Alright, did you also notice the sharp turn I made left a few minutes ago?" he then asked.

"Yes…?" I replied again, this time unsure.

"How about the one I made to the right just a few moments after?"

"Wait what? No you didn't," I objected.

"Yes I did," he said. "We even changed direction, instead of north we then went east," he nodded. "You don't remember?" he smiled, raising his brow.

"No we didn't I would have noticed it if we had," I retorted.

"Alright then I suppose it's useless to ask if you recall the hill we climbed just now,"

"Wait what hill? We didn't climb a hill," I said, shaking my head. As if to prove me wrong, he then pointed back behind us, and to my surprise, just a few ends away was the hill. My mouthed fell slightly, utterly confused. "B-but…I didn't feel a change in pace. W-we would've felt it…?" I stuttered. "I'm sorry but are you trying to make a fool out of me?" I then questioned, baffled.

"Not at all miss Clarisse, though I will admit that I'm rather impressed that you kept up with a least a few of the details. Not very many people have managed to accomplish that I'm afraid," he chuckled.

"Clearly I am misunderstanding something?" I asked again.

"To put it in short; by day, this forest is just like any other, by nightfall however, it almost seems as if the forest confuses itself along with the people inside of it," he started to explain. My brows furrowed together. "But clearly if the manor lies north from here, it is only logical that we take the road on the right, as it leads to the north," I told him.

"You will not believe how many times travelers have said that and eventually end up getting lost in these woods for assumptions such as those. Although I understand the logic, it just the way it's always been, so much so that even the animals that live here have a difficult time of knowing which is the right direction," he snickered as he looked down at ground.

"Although I highly doubt that, for horses, it's different," I then said, patting Macawi's neck.

"Beg pardon?" Break questioned.

"Back when I was in Colorado, I learned that the wild horses that inhabited the valleys from our town had an amazing sense of direction. They knew which way a river was no matter how far they were away from it," I told him. "And if I'm right, I believe that Macawi here can lead us in the right direction if we let him go his own way," I smiled.

"Ok, although I do hope you realize that a _river _and an _estate_ are two completely different things right?" Break scoffed.

"Yes however, out of the three of us, it is the horse who wants to get home the most," I said as I slid off the saddle and took the reins from Break's hands. "And for that, it would be the wisest thing to trust him and let him _lead_ the way," After reassuring the enormous horse, I tugged on the reins slightly to egg him on. When I felt that I was close enough to the center of the two roads, I stopped and stood out of its way. After a few seconds of him snorting and flicking his ears, Macawi chose the road on the right. In the end, I knew I was right. Macawi lead the rest of the way although I still had the reins in my hand, merely walking beside him. Although I could've just hopped back on, I felt more comfortable walking for some reason. We had some time left before nightfall came, I figured why not enjoy the scenery for myself on foot. I was content this way, though it did not take long for Break to get off the saddle as well. In a quick motion, he took the reins from my grasp and stood in front of me. Taken aback, I looked to him in wonder.

"Is something wrong Break?" I asked him. He gave a crooked smile as he looked down at the ground. "Forgive my brusqueness, however; I felt the urge to stretch my legs a bit…and I feel that we would go a little quicker if I lead the way," he told me.

"Oh? Am I not quick enough for you Break?" I smiled coyly.

"I'm afraid if I were to be completely honest with you I would offend you greatly, miss Clarise," he then said, looking at me. I flinched, completely surprised by his words. This was perhaps the first time I had ever heard him say my name right. Speechless, I said nothing.

"We are making good time. I believe recognize this path and if we keep going, we should arrive in no less than a quarter of the hour," he concurred as he looked at his pocket watch. "Moreover, if the others had seen us, I would have been greatly chastised for allowing a young lady such as yourself to be walking,"

"Oh, I see," I then nodded. "Well then, I shouldn't keep us like this," With that, I quickly climbed onto the saddle. We continued on soon after, yet I couldn't help but still be bemused. It was hard to believe that after all this time, he had finally said my name right. I felt happy, yet poignant at the same time. Perhaps I was beginning to grow used to him teasing me, and now with the sudden change, it felt somehow lonely. In any case, it certainly took me by surprise.

As we journeyed through the wooded path, my eyes once again began to wander about. Taking to the trees, I noticed that the branches had begun to interweave and almost mesh within themselves, shutting out the little light that was left. This made me feel strangely uncomfortable, and restless. My feelings seemed to affect the others as well, as I could feel Macawi grow fidgety and quickly change pace. As I looked to Break, his smile had long faded from his lips and was replaced by a grim line. His frame also appeared disturbingly rigid, certainly different from what it always was. And in addition to everything else, the temperature had dropped considerably since we left. Granted that it was towards the end of autumn, the change of climate was to be expected, however as we went further on, it somehow felt chillingly strange. I shivered as the wind blew across my bare neck. Grabbing at my sleeve, I huddled closer towards Macawi in an attempt to warm myself, not that it helped in any way. Clasping my hands together, I blew into them when suddenly out of nowhere; we heard a large, deafening crash, coming from besides us. Panicked, Macawi reared his whole body in the air, screaming and kicking wildly. In desperation, I held fast onto his mane, but before I could even figure out what was happening, Macawi reclaimed steadiness and forcefully dashed into the thicket at full speed, separating me from Break.

* * *

Break quickly recovered his composure and whipped around, staring intently in the direction of the crash. He could feel Mad Hatter recoil around his figure, its energy nipping at his fingers_. 'So…it would appear that the rumors are true about this one…,_' he mused as he clenched his fists. He couldn't help but grin in excitement. It had been a while since he encountered an illegal contractor worth his time. Granted that he did not have his cane with him, it didn't deter him from wanting to catch a glimpse of the chain. Holding his ground, he stood ready, waiting to see if he would strike. He could feel from a distance that the contractor was close by; however he made no other move and was completely still in place. Break raised his brow in suspicion. Even from where he was, he could smell the faint spoor of freshly spilled blood from it, but something didn't feel right. After a few seconds of complete stillness, Break spoke aloud in an effort to taunt him.

"Come now, will you not come out of hiding? It isn't much fun if I can't see you," he goaded. "I promise I'll play fair~!" After waiting for its response, he felt the chain's energy rise, but then fade into nothing in a matter of seconds. As quickly as it appeared, the chain's presence had completely vanished, leaving Break alone. Disappointed, he tapped his fingers against his leg edgily. "Fine…if that's the way the way you want it. We'll have plenty of time to play later~," he muttered. Without wasting another minute, Break turned back around and dashed in the direction the horse went through.

* * *

Macawi kicked and thrashed as he charged through the coppice of trees ahead. Loose branches from above whipped my body and face mercilessly, leaving me no choice but to duck down, holding onto his mane and saddle horn. _'What on earth was that?!'_ I wondered in fear. _'That didn't sound like anything you'd hear in a forest...!' _A sharp branch scraped the exposed part of my back making me sink further into the saddle. One would think that with the many trees in front of us, the large animal would slow down, though knowing what horses of his size were capable of when threatened, what did I expect? I wanted to call out to him and try to grab the reins that were caught in the shanks of his bridle, but every time I tried to raise my head, I would be greeted with branches. I was starting to run out of ideas when I suddenly felt something brush up against my back. Frightened, I was about to turn around when I saw a hand shoot out in front of my own and yank the caught reins from the bridle forcefully.

"Do forgive my negligence miss Clarisse. I did not intend for you to get caught up in all of this chaos," Break's voice rang from behind me. Assuming that the branches were gone, I whipped my head around to see him, calm as ever. "H-how—how did you—?!" I gaped, completely in shock by his appearance.

"Hm? I'm terribly sorry I didn't quite catch that, what was it you just said?" he frowned down at me. All I could do was uselessly stare at him as he regained control of the horse. When it felt like we finally reached a clearing in the path, Break and I saw what appeared to look like a small hole leading to the pass. "Well I suppose this is close enough," Break grinned, obviously pleased. In one swift movement, he spurred Macawi into the direction and burst out into the open, heading straight onto the main road ahead.

Before I realized, it was already dark. Lamplighters began to light the gas lamps beside us as we raced down the road. Alone as we we're, I wanted to ask Break about the crash, perhaps he found something while we were separated. Just as I was about to speak up however, I felt the dirt road underneath us turn to stone. Looking up, I saw that we were now passing through the residential area connecting Auvergne to the estate. Just like it was in Auvergne, officers from Pandora were all over the place, alerting meager stragglers and landed gentry alike back to their homes. Once residents of the road had entered their estates; their windows, their doors and even their gates were secured and locked. Everywhere you turned, it would be the same, and not a single disturbance took place. The scene seemed so surreal that it almost amazed me, though I did not have time to take it in. As quick as we arrived there, we left; surely the Rainsworth's couldn't be far from where we were.

After a few short minutes, we finally reached the laborer's pasture. Workmen and officers alike were around and about, the only differences being that they were not being forced to take shelter and the number of officers present was doubled. In the stretched ditch below us, I could see more of Pandora gathering around the forest with strange equipment. Men talking, horses neighing and patrol dogs howling surrounded the area. It was all the same when I accidently made eye contact with an officer. He looked at me, and then at Break. In a subtle motion, the officer nodded to him, his eyes focused and stern. Break, in return, nodded back in silent recognition and once again faced forward, ending the encounter. Confused and a bit intimated by the whole thing, I kept silent the rest of the way. At last reaching the stables, Break called to him and jerked the reins in order to bring him to a trot, though Macawi did not heed the command. Instead, he galloped faster and dashed toward the barns next to them. As much as I tried to quell the hulking charger it was all in vain as he continued to run. Stablehands and officers quickly jumped out of the way as it charged right into the lit barn. Once inside, he again reared in panic and thrashed about. Break quickly slid off the saddle but not before he grabbed me and pulled me down with him, catching me in his arms.

"_**Someone get this brainless beast under control immediately!**_" Break yelled to the stablehands inside. Reluctantly, they obeyed his order and tried to get near Macawi. I also wanted to help them but before I even got the chance, Break pulled on my arm and dragged me away them. "Wait!" I shouted, but it was no use. Amongst the uproar and scattering of people inside the barn, my voice was lost in the midst of it. The more people came into the barn, the more Break clutched at my arm, hurting me in the process. I tried to pull back and plant my feet in the ground to make him stop but it only hurt my arm more. In the end, I was forced to be dragged around by him. "Will you let go, you're _hurting me!_" I shouted, but he didn't listen. Angry, I was going to hit punch him in the shoulder when he suddenly hauled me in front of him and threw me into someone.

"There miss Beatrice, I retrieved the girl safely and soundly just as I promised you," he then said. In bewilderment, I looked up at the person I ran into and saw Beatrice's face gaping down at me then back at Break. "If you don't require anything else, I take my leave. Have a _wonderful _evening," he cooed, yet his tone did not sound at all merry. "Xerxes!" Beatrice scowled, but just as quickly as he uttered those words, three officers greeted him and without so much as a single glance, he went off with them and disappeared. As angry as I was with him, I would've been lying if I said I wasn't a little hurt by this. Beatrice then whirled me around and held me by the shoulders, her expression disapproving and shocked.

"Good heavens child what on earth happened to you? You look as if you came from the safari!" she exasperated. I was too within myself to even respond, though I somehow managed to raise my hands to my face. Surprisingly, I only had a few cuts and a little dirt plastered under my nail beds, I was actually little afraid to look at the rest of me however. "Y-you could say that," I muttered. Beatrice was going to say something when she then stopped herself and shook her head. "No…never mind that," she grimaced, and then turned around. "_Rachel!_" she cried over impeding noise. Unbelievably, Rachel heard and came over to us as quickly as she could. She took one look at me and almost fell dead. "Rachel take Clarise inside and have her cleaned up!" she told the maid. Rachel uttered her obeisance, took my hand and gently led me out of the barn.

The more we walked towards the direction of the manor, the more people began to head for the barn. As big as it was, it certainly was strange having that many people there. I wondered how much this 'clearing' meant to them all, it indeed was baffling.

"I don't think I want to know what happened to you, considering your state," Rachel muttered, taking a quick glance at me. Not really paying attention to her, I uttered the first response that came to mind. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Oh don't play coy with me Clarise, it's clearly obvious that you—!" she then stopped herself, and looked away. "Never mind…forget what I was going to say," she then said, and continued to walk.

"What is with you and Beatrice? That's the _third_ time today somebody doesn't finish what they were going to say!" I exclaimed. Ignoring me, Rachel continued to walk towards the servant's quarters'. I snapped. "_What is it that you and the others are hiding huh? Clearly this 'clearing' thing is bigger and more serious than I would've imagined it would be!"_ I yelled, still, she persisted to pay no attention to me_. "Rachel! It's damn obvious you and the rest of this place is hiding something just tell me what it is! Since we got here it's been clear! __**Rachel!**_**"**

**"**_**I CAN'T!**_**"** Rachel then whirled around to face me, harried. _**"Look I can't—I can't tell you ok? I want to believe me I, I do but—but I don't think—I can find the words right now!"** she breathed. _

"_What do you mean you can't find the words right now Rachel what's going o—!"_ I was then cut off by a voice calling out my name. When I turned behind me, I could see Lula and Odi running towards us. Stepping in between me and Rachel, Lula beamed at me as she looked me over. "My, my, I'll say yer a sight fer sore eyes~!" she teased. "Wouldn't ya say Odi!"

"Damn girl where were you, wrestlin' with bears? Every time I see you, you always seem to always be covered in some type of ache and grime huh?" Odi joined. My mind was too overwhelmed by everything I couldn't find any words to say to them.

"Oy Rachel, what's goin' on here?" Lula then asked Rachel. Quickly recovering from her frenzied state, she answered in a calm voice. "I was ordered to take her back to the servant's quarters to have her cleaned up," she told her.

"Cleaned up' would be a bit of an understatement wouldn't you say?" she looked at me and smiled. "Ah well, I believe me and Odi 'ave a bit a'time before we head into the fray, what say you Odi?"

Smiling along with her, Odi casually crossed his arms over his head. "I'd say so, be honest witch'y'all I_ really_ don't wanna go but because that demon lady will my chew hide if I don't I don't have a choice,"

"Well it's settled then! Come along now Clarise, we don't have time to waste~!" she beamed as she pushed me along. Too confused to even object, I let them take me.

As we passed through the gates leading away from the laborer's pasture, even more people passed us by, though this time, I could hear their voices a little clearer now. Although everything was still jumbled and in hushed tone, I heard names, familiar names of people and places mentioned in the past. _Oz Vessalius…Gilbert and Elliot Nightray…Sablier…Rufus Barma…Pandora and Michael de Aragon; _all names I've heard before and perhaps even briefly have been acquainted with, but nothing of use to me. From the other words I got, tonight's 'clearing' is supposed to be a quick one, involving little effort on Pandora's part, yet because of the amount of students of the academy and noblemen attending, they packed on security just as a precaution to the four families. But still, _nothing!_ Understandably there are more people expected to be back up but for what? What was so dangerous that citizens had to hide in their homes? What was so dangerous that hundreds of officers from Pandora had to be present monitoring the entire operation, what was so important that even the noblemen of the four families had to attend? What?! Then, three new words became present, almost completely throwing me off my train of thought.

_Chains…illegal contractors…Intention of…Abyss? _My mind circled around these words like famished vultures. They were strange words, strange expressions at best. Clearly something was off about them. Granted perhaps they were just botched words, thrown together from some unimportant conversation, nothing to take too seriously. But yet…they rang with a certain resonance, a noise of some sort, one that could not easily be ignored. Exhausted, I reached for my locket, I wanted to hold it in between my fingers and feel it's coolness in my hand. But as I reached for it, I found that it wasn't there. Nervous, I felt around my neck and eventually lifted the dirtied fabric covering my chest to look inside for it. To my horror, I found that it wasn't around my person. Only one thing came to my mind and that was to panic. Immediately I stopped dead in my tracks and looked down at the ground.

"My locket," I babbled. "Where's my locket!" Frantic, I pushed Odi who was behind me aside and looked around. When I didn't find it, I lost it. "My locket, where is my locket!?" I started shouting. "Clarise? Clarise sweetie are you alright?" I heard Lula ask me.

"My locket! Where is my locket I can't find it!?" I shouted. I must've looked hysterical, crazy even but I couldn't help myself. It was as if I was possessed by something, and I had no control. "My locket!? Where is it?!" I gritted my teeth. I was about to run off and look for it when I felt arms wrap around my waist and lift me up above the ground. I kicked and screamed at whoever had me. Then in a quick movement, I was thrown over someone's shoulder, facing the inner gardens. To my surprise we were already at the door to the servant's quarters, not that it actually mattered at the time. Still screaming, I then beat the person's back, begging them to let me go. I could hear Lula and Rachel's voices trying to talk to me, to calm me down. Everything then changed. The climate outside felt strangely colder than before, like someone had flipped a switch or something. Then out of nowhere, a loud whistle pierced through the air; I looked up just in time to see a bright yellow flare light up the night sky. By then however, I was no longer outside but in, completely cast out of the night and straight into an empty and dim-lit room.

* * *

With a sudden push, I was then thrown onto a bed inside a room, still completely agape. "What are you—?!"

"Now, now dearie, please," Lula cooed as she knelt down and grabbed my hands. "You need to calm down. You were actin' as if you were a completely different person! Are you alright?" she asked, eyes full of concern.

"I-I'm s-sorry I just—my locket. I can't find my locket on m-me," I fumbled, still looking around myself. "I understand that sweetie, but that isn't a reason to go about losin' yer head? Is there somethin' else that's botherin' you?" Lula continued to pry. I clenched and unclenched my hands with frustration.

"Yes! Everything! Everything is just—why?! The people, t-t-t-the Pandora, the noise, everything why is all—here?!" I flustered. I knew I made absolutely no sense, but I couldn't stop myself from panicking. I just couldn't.

"Now Clarise, just stop," Lula said a stern voice. "Take a deep breath…and then let it all out," I did as I was told and sat still for a little bit. Rachel then came into the room with a glass of water. Handing it over to Lula, she then handed it to me. "Here, drink this," she said. Taking the wet glass, I reluctantly began to drink from it. After a few seconds of drinking, I stopped and let my shoulders fall. I was completely exhausted. "I'm sorry…," I apologized to them. "It's just that…without my locket, I get very anxious. And with everything going on, and with all of the commotion and noise I…I just can't—I'm sorry," I sighed.

"It's alright Clarise, I understand," Lula nodded. "Today has…been chaotic…for all of us,"

"And I understand that you hold that locket of yers very close to you, so I'm certain that it can't be very far off. Now, when was the last time you held it?" she then asked. Clearing away the mess that I created, I focused solely on the question. _'The last time I held it?' _I thought. I remember having it with me during the café and up to where we saw Break. From there, I still remember having it…right until we entered that grove. "That grove…," I then muttered.

"The…grove?" Lula repeated.

"The hidden grove right beside the entrance to the town, I remember having it with me then…from there…I think—!" I then stopped, realizing where I lost it. "It fell. It must've fallen off right after we heard that crashing sound right by the road…it spooked the horse and—it has to be there!" I exclaimed.

"Crashing sound?" Lula mouthed. Odi, who had been standing by the door watching us then abruptly left. The expression on his face looked grave and alarmed. Before I could react, Lula brought me back to her. "Clarise, what crashing sound? In the forest you mean?"

"Yes…in, in the woods. I-I don't know how to explain it but—it sounded like a crash or something. It was loud enough to scare the horse and thinking about it now I'm positive that's where I dropped it!" I nodded.

"And that…is really all you heard then?" Lula then said, looking at me rather strangely. "Yes…?" I told her. "Why, does that mean something?" I then said. Clearly my words affected her as right then; she raised her hands above her lap in an effort to keep me calm. "No, no, nothin' at all, I was only askin'," she patted my hand. "It's alright, the grove was it? I know exactly where it is so don't you worry, first thing tomorrow morning, you will have it, ok?" she then assured me.

"R-really? Y-you'll get it? I said the horse was spooked so it must've fallen when he ran into the thicket on the side an—!"

"I understand; I will find it. I promise you, you will have it as soon as I see you in the mornin', so right now, relax, get cleaned up, eat somethin' and head right off to bed. You've have been through a lot today and I know yer' tired,"

"B-but are you sure? I mean I don't think it's on the road exactly it might be in the bushes or something and another thing what about my brother Aaron huh? I didn't see him with you when you came out and my horse—?"

"Both have been accounted for, just as I promised. Aaron should be in his quarters right about now as well as Collette. They are both fine, I can assure you of that," she then said, putting to rest my worries. "So then, tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow mornin', first I see you, you will have it. And if yer' still worried about Aaron, we'll go and see him, Collette too, ok?" Lula smiled. By this point, all I could do was trust her and nod my head. She made it seem so easy, or maybe it was just because I was too tired to see otherwise.

"Alright then," she then breathed, getting up from where she was. "I have to go with the others right now so this is where I leave you. Rachel and the others will take care of you and see to it that you're ok for tonight," she then announced.

"Where we you all be going?" I asked.

"Into the woods outside, I'm afraid I was asked to chaperone the 'clearin' for tonight as some of the children from the academy as well as a few noblemen from the four houses will be attendin'. But I promise I will be back soon,"

"O-ok," I muttered. Still smiling, she then turned and left. From there, Rachel managed to get me up and escorted me towards my room. I bathed, I ate, and from there I was already in bed. As I lay my head on the pillow, I looked up to the window beside me. Another yellow flare shot through the sky, blocking out the light of the stars. _'First thing tomorrow morning',_ those wereLula's words. Nestling deeper into my pillow, I then closed my eyes. _'As soon as I wake up, as soon as I wake up…,'_

* * *

**{A/N}:**** And. I. am. DONE! Finally with this very long chapter that has been giving me **_**hell **_**the entire time I was on it. College definitely has had to do with **_**a lot**_** of why I wasn't able to get to it most of the time but now I am free and I will be able to finally focus on the next chapter. I will warn you right now, that the next chapter will be more focused on the 'clearing' and Break as well as the others. Perhaps it will even be written in Oz's POV but I'm not entirely sure. I don't know how long it will take for me to finish it but hopefully I will not make you wait as long as last time. To everyone who has supported me to get this chapter out, I thank you for being able to put up with me, seriously. And to all of the people who have reviewed in the past, I am really, really, really, really, **_**REALLY**_** sorry for making you wait this long. But here it is, and I hope that you have not abandoned this fic. Also as an announcement, I did make changes and even changed chapter 10 ((or 11 on )) for good and will be no longer making changes for future chapters. I have realized that this my very first fic and as such we all make mistakes, me more than others but yea besides grammar errors, I won't be looking to change anything anymore. Also you guys, if you want to talk to me about the fic or just say hi, I do have a tumblr and have the link posted on my author page. Until then, see you next time. **


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